Here we are, on the front lines of the fight for inclusive education. Now, a month or so into the new school year, we are already in the thick of the fight, and we are seeing numerous lawsuits being filed as things are changing daily. Many of our listeners are already feeling the impact of funding cuts to education. Today’s episode focuses on the actions of the US Department of Education at the beginning of August regarding five school districts in northern Virginia. Join us to learn more.

Show Highlights:

• $50 million is being withheld from the states in the form of formula funding, discretionary grants, and impact aid grants.
• The example of attempted resolutions for trans kids—and the stance of VA school districts who won’t back down
• The far-reaching budget impacts of the withholding of this funding
• The chilling fact: Our children are the ones who suffer the most.
• Practical results in terms of staffing, programs, hiring, and critical services
• The legal perspective and ramifications of this decision
• Look out for the domino effect! Contact your representatives.
• Key takeaways about the federal government’s power and our fragile system
• What you can do today to help

Resources:

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

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Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, or Email.

Our goal is always to keep people informed about what’s going on in today’s world that directly affects the education of our students. It is essential to consider the communities that are forming within the broader context of the current political climate. How are conversations being navigated around important topics like race and culture? Today’s guest has valuable insights to share! Join us!

Jebeh Edmunds is the founder and CEO of Jebeh Cultural Consulting, a firm that helps disseminate multicultural lesson plans for K-12th grade. Part of her essential work also includes providing training sessions on DEI and cultural responsiveness. Jebeh was a classroom teacher for 18 years before she became an entrepreneur. Proud of her heritage, Jebeh is a first-generation Liberian-American who came to the US as a toddler.

Show Highlights:

• Foundational steps to set yourself up as a culturally responsible educator
• We should ALL learn from our mistakes.
• Watch out for biases.
• Children are capable of having hard conversations.
• Common ineffective strategies around cultural responsiveness:
• “I don’t see color.”
• “We don’t have any people of color here, so we don’t need this lesson.”
• Books help open the door for brave and honest discussions.
• Jebeh’s advice to educators about reacting in “the hot moment” regarding the following:
• Handling harmful statements (You cannot ignore them.)
• Asking for help from your school administrators
• Jebeh’s key takeaway: “Look to families as a resource and support. They are giving you their best resource: their child.”

Resources:

Connect with Jebeh Edmunds: Website (Find resources and courses.) and Jebeh's podcast, Cultural Curriculum Chat with Jebeh Edmunds.

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show.

Please feel free ​​to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns via our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X), our IEP Website, and Email.

We are in the middle of the start of another school year across the country, whether your students have already returned or have a later start date. One of the most important events from last school year was the Supreme Court decision to withhold $65M in federal funding for education, and we are seeing those impacts across the board. Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez is here to unpack the decision and the far-reaching effects. Join us to learn more!

Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez is the CEO at the National Center for Learning Disabilities, an organization that is almost 50 years old. Their mission is to serve ALL students, their families, their educators, and their future employers. Dr. Rodriguez has a background steeped in education, from teaching special education at all levels to being an administrator. Her passion for advocacy and equity for all students is the central theme of her work, always focused on a more inclusive and equitable education system.

Show Highlights:

• The story of the $65M earmarked for DEI efforts—now withheld by the Supreme Court decision
• Who will feel the impacts? Every single student!
• The uproar from multiple states about the withholding of grant money, most of which was to combat the nationwide teacher shortage
• Specific examples of what these grants were doing in teacher retention and residency programs
• The politicization of teacher preparation is a dangerous precedent.
• The average layperson is unaware of what’s happening and what the effects of this decision are.
• The need for awareness and the dangers of staying silent
• Action steps you can take today
• Dr. Rodriguez’s admonition to school leaders, superintendents, and any concerned person who wants to take action

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Rodriguez and the NCLD: Website (Click the “Take Action” tab at the top!)

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, and Email.