Federal policies have attempted to ensure that students with disabilities are ready for post-secondary education and employment when they leave school, yet too often they lag behind their peers. NCEO’s Martha Thurlow, Kristin Liu, and Sheryl Lazarus recently had an article titled Ensuring Students with Disabilities Leave School Ready to Succeed published in the January, 2022 issue of The State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE). The entire issue focused on supporting learning for students with disabilities. The article included background information and an overview of federal laws. It then identified red flags that hold students back, and four things state policymakers can do that will support improved outcomes for students with disabilities:

• Examine every education policy for unintended consequences that may impact students with disabilities
• Directly address expectations for students with disabilities
• Review the accessibility of state assessments, including accommodation policies
• Understand the different purposes of interim and summative assessments
• Debunk myths associated with the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms

NASBE is also hosting a webinar on Improving Postsecondary Success for Students with Disabilities on Tuesday February 22, 2022 at 3 pm. Eastern. Sheryl Lazarus, the director of NCEO, and will be one of the webinar presenters. To register go to Webinar Registration.