February 2025
“As the snow melts, let your fears thaw and your courage rise.”
~Unknown
Welcome to February’s edition of the Buzz from the Hub! In this issue, we highlight the U.S. Department of Education’s guidance on Building and Sustaining Inclusive Educational Practices, designed to help schools create more effective and inclusive learning environments. Other valuable resources you’ll find in this month’s issue are:
- a podcast on inclusive early childhood education for children with visual impairments,
- a toolkit for supporting English language learners with disabilities,
- financial education tools for individuals with disabilities, and
- a guide on Social Security survivors’ benefits.
Plus, don’t miss the upcoming webinar on amplifying family voices in early childhood policy and decision-making.
Best wishes and happy reading,
The CPIR Team
Featured Resource!
ED Guidance Expands on Implementation of Inclusive Educational Practices
On January 16, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education released the guidance document, Building and Sustaining Inclusive Educational Practices Aligned with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), to help state educational agencies, local educational agencies, and school staff to foster inclusive and effective learning environments.
Shareable Resources
Early Childhood |
The Accessible Learning Experience – a podcast by the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning at CAST
Season 03, Episode 05: Inclusive Early Childhood Education for Students with Visual Impairments
In the episode, Diana Garcia-Mejia, a Pre-K teacher of students with visual impairments, shares many practical tips and ideas for ensuring young learners with visual impairments get off to a strong start in their educational journey.
Listen to the podcast episode here.
Education |
English Learners with Disabilities Toolkit
The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) focuses on the inclusion of students with disabilities, ELs, and ELs with disabilities in instruction and assessments. Their English Learners with Disabilities Toolkit is designed to provide states and individualized education program (IEP) teams with eight tools they can use to better understand their students who are ELs with disabilities, determine in which state assessment (general or alternate) the students should participate, and discover whether accessibility features or accommodations are needed for their participation in any assessment.
Youth |
Financial Education
An important part of the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation’s (PATF) mission is to provide financial education to people with disabilities. Their education efforts help people make more informed decisions about managing their finances, take control of their financial future, and build financial wellness.
Find their financial education resources here.
Young Adults |
The Benefits of Work
Besides receiving a paycheck, there are many benefits to working for individuals with disabilities. This brief tip sheet outlines those benefits.
Parent Leadership |
Social Security Survivors Benefits Toolkit – A Guide for Organizations
The Social Security Survivors Benefits Toolkit – A Guide for Organizations increases awareness about benefits for survivors after the loss of a family member. This toolkit includes information about:
- Eligibility requirements;
- Types of evidence we need; and
- How to apply.
Upcoming Events
DEC Family and Policy & Advocacy Committee Joint Webinar: Lifting ALL Family Voices to Impact EC Policy, Procedures, & Practices
This webinar, Lifting ALL Family Voices to Impact EC Policy, Procedures, & Practices, brings together a diverse panel of family advocates to explore the crucial role of family input in shaping early childhood (EC) education policies, practices, and procedures. By addressing the challenges families encounter when striving to be heard in educational decision-making, the panel will discuss ways in which current EC policies impact service access, areas where inclusive decision-making can be enhanced, and how cultural and linguistic factors influence participation.
When: February 25, 2025
Time: 06:00 PM ET
Looking for more events? Check out
the Hub Central Event Calendar
This e-Newsletter from the CPIR is copyright-free. We encourage you to share it with others. Scan our QR Code or click here to sign up to receive the Buzz from the Hub!
Publication of this e-Newsletter is made possible through Cooperative Agreement H328R230009 between OSEP and the SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN). The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government or by the Center for Parent Information and Resources.
