Special Education Resources

EWA Reporting Resources 

• Navigating Special Education Funding Amid Federal Changes
• Covering Special Education Basics and Trends
• Special Education: Overview
• Data/Research: Special Education
• History and Background: Special Education
• Glossary: Special Education

The Education Writers Association also organized a session on special education at Investigative Reporters and Editors’ AccessFest 2025.

The speakers’ combined presentation includes background and many tips for covering the topic: 

• Presentation: Special education: Investigating the impacts of federal changes and telling compelling stories

Academic Experts on Special Education 

• Alice Abrokwa, University of Virginia
• Claire Raj, University of South Carolina
• Nicole Tuchinda, Loyola University New Orleans
• Perry Zirkel, Lehigh University (emeritus)

Special Education-Related Resources, Advocacy and Legal Organizations

• Council of Chief State School Officers
• Council of Parent Advocates and Attorneys
• DisAbility Law Center of Virginia
• Disability Rights, Education and Defense Fund
• Disability Scoop
• National Association of State Directors of Special Education
• National Center for Learning Disabilities
• The Arc
• The Center for Learner Equity
• Wrightslaw

Policy Analysis 

• Brookings Institution: Trump administration weighs future of special education oversight and funding

Historical Context About Special Education Law, IDEA and Section 504

• Undivided: Background and History of IDEA in Special Education
• Wrightslaw: The History of Special Education Law in the United States

Examples: In-Depth Special Education Coverage From the Last Year

• Beth Hawkins, The 74: For Decades, the Feds Were the Last, Best Hope for Special Ed Kids. What Happens Now?
• Marta Jewson, The Lens: Fannie C. Williams School suspended child; told her to come back with “mental health” eval 
• Mandy McLaren, The Boston Globe (formerly): Special education coverage that won her the Moskowitz Prize for Outstanding Beat Reporting
• Marina Villeneuve and Meredith Kolodner, The Hechinger Report: New Jersey sends kids with disabilities to separate schools more than any other state

Round-up: Some Post-Layoffs Special Education Coverage 

• Collin Binkley, The Associated Press: Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement
• Michelle Diament, Disability Scoop: Ed Department lays off almost all special education employees
• Zachary Schermele, USA Today: Education Department layoffs threaten special ed system, advocates warn
• Cory Turner, NPR: Amid shutdown, Trump administration guts department overseeing special education

💡 Something Else to Think About

Investigative reporter Brian Rosenthal, now with The New York Times, won the 2016 Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting.

He uncovered how the Texas Education Agency was deliberately capping the percentage of students who qualified for special education. At that time, Rosenthal was a Houston Chronicle reporter.

The federal government stepped in and caused TEA to cease its arbitrary rule. Special education advocates often charge that many states would neglect special education if the federal government did not provide oversight.