Cait O’Connor
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justteachingela.bsky.social
Cait O’Connor
@justteachingela.bsky.social
770 followers 350 following 180 posts
8th grade ELA teacher, 2023 Outstanding Middle Level Educator, mental health peer, Buddhist, avid reader, lover of iced tea, alternative education enthusiast, social justice advocate, fat studies scholar, fiercely pro-student.
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justteachingela.bsky.social
A breakdown of the OSERS shutdown.
Q: What is IDEA (1990)? A: IDEA is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It was passed in 1990 alongside the Americans with Disabilities Act, intended to replace similar past laws as a more comprehensive path to equity and equality for disabled Americans. It offers groundbreaking guidance and guidelines for educating children and adults with disabilities, and makes state guidelines more streamlined, equitable and consistent across states. The IDEA’s original goal was to outline what constitutes for schools, students and families as a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) It also provides funding to programs such as ESY (extended school year), for students who need to “catch up” or remediate skills in reading and math; ungraded life skills programs for students with higher support needs, and provisions for staff to implement students IEPs with fidelity nationwide. The law mandates that schools develop IEPs and a referral process for students with disabilities, and states like New York also have regulations for testing, notifying families, and engaging in informed consent processes with parents about how the IEP will be drafted, finalized and implemented in the child’s educational process. The IDEA law has three main parts: Part B (ages 3-21) outlines the legal requirements and funding to ensure that all students with disabilities, including those with learning disabilities, get the support they need in school Part C; services and funding for infants and toddlers with disabilities from birth to age 2 Part D; provides funding for competitive grants to support state personnel development (certification and training standards for aides, caretakers, teaching assistants and support staff), technical assistance, information dissemination, technology, and information and support services for parents Before IDEA, districts could refuse to serve communities and children with disabilities entirely. This legislation ensures that discrimination on the basis of d… -formula grants for ages 3-5 (programs like early intervention, occupational therapy (life skills), speech therapy, and cognitive testing for preschool aged children) -prevents multilingual learners from being classified as disabled just for being multilingual (as in, schools are required to differentiate if ELLs are disabled in addition to, but not because of, their first language/home language not being English). -vocational and job training -discretionary grants for educational technology (hearing devices, communication technology) -least restrictive environment (LRE) implementation; the right of every child, regardless of disability, to be educated in an environment that is not restrictive or segregated -determinations for students who receive disciplinary intervention in school–they cannot just be suspended, but their behavior must be considered a “manifestation of their disability” before any punitive measures (suspension, expulsion, detention) are taken. At a federal level, this applies to public AND private schools. Q: What changes if the federal DOE is unable to implement IDEA, now that many of the staff have received layoffs, or Reductions in Force (RIF) notices? A: These changes mean that kids in some states will receive less services, funding or implementation than others, and that there are limited staff at a federal level to ensure that these regulations are being adhered to across the country. Though many states have regulations and laws that bolster these protections, not all states have strong enough or ironclad protections that parallel IDEA. IDEA is still law, but there is now nobody in the OSER to investigate complaints. So if districts are underfunded, unable to meet student needs, or violating students’ IEPs, there is no one investigating or overseeing those gaps. Districts that are out of compliance will not be held federally accountable. And if states don’t have laws that close the gap in federal oversight? Too bad. Schools who violate studen… But they said the plan is to let the funding go through the treasury. Who cares who it goes through, as long as states receive it? A: The federal government pays about 13-40% of IDEA related disability education costs via formula grants, on a state by state basis. Now, there is no one in the office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services to disburse these funds, which were set to disappear anyway. Now, they’re disappearing without being re-directed to any other agency (a goal of Project 2025). Educational funding that goes through the treasury is not subject to the same education laws or appropriations, and can be used in generalized rather than specialized ways. Additionally, because it is not passing through a body that adheres to and abides by education law, it is more subject to the whims of the federal government and can be withheld as the president sees fit. Educational funding is overseen by many committees, educational advocates and specialists, and the transfer to the treasury enables the needs determined by educational experts to be ignored, worked around or neglected. Q: What’s next? A: The lawsuits that will ensue will set precedents, and that’s the point. Because these lawsuits will either be used to uphold the law that has been long established by disability advocates, or overturned entirely when revisited–just like we saw with Roe in 2022. And in an administration with a pattern for calling anything that benefits marginalized and vulnerable communities as “waste, fraud, and abuse, ” this could mean that those services are seen as superfluous indulgences, rather than the lifelines that they are for tens of thousands of disabled people. Sources and Links: Sara Novic (@Photonovic). What is IDEA? (National Center for Learning Disabilities) Part 300 of the IDEA (United States Department of Education). Part 300B of the IDEA (United States Department of Education). New York State Law, Regulations and Policy Not Required by the Federal Government (me…
October 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
My book is HERE! Preorders begin in February! Release date in March! Screaming crying throwing UP 😭
September 24, 2025 at 9:23 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Finally met @asv.bsky.social in real lifeeeeeee
June 30, 2025 at 11:13 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
I am so excited to read this book it’s not even funny
A photo of the cover of Chris Payne’s book “Where Are Your Boys Tonight?: The oral history of emo’s mainstream explosion 1999-2008” written in white graffiti letters, with the subheading in a black box with yellow font. The cover art is a filtered monochromatic gradient (blue to green) photo of Gerard Way, the frontman of My Chemical romance, wearing a black marching band uniform jacket and holding a white guitar while singing into a microphone.
January 3, 2025 at 5:11 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
December 31, 2024 at 6:19 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Some examples from this week alone lol ❤️
December 14, 2024 at 6:50 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
We had a spelling bee yesterday 😂🐝
December 14, 2024 at 6:40 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 20/20
December 13, 2024 at 1:20 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 19/20
December 11, 2024 at 2:45 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 18/20
December 9, 2024 at 11:47 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 17/20
December 9, 2024 at 4:13 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 16/20
December 7, 2024 at 6:22 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Yesterday’s work fit ✌️🐯🐅
December 7, 2024 at 6:07 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
December 7, 2024 at 4:39 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 14 of 20
December 5, 2024 at 4:17 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 12/13 of 20
December 3, 2024 at 12:26 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 11/20
December 2, 2024 at 4:04 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 11/20
December 1, 2024 at 6:05 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Not the absolute shining STAR @heymrsbond.bsky.social telling me nice things about MYself 😭😭😭😭
November 30, 2024 at 8:57 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
I replied how I know you probably would 😂
November 30, 2024 at 4:31 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 10/20
November 30, 2024 at 5:18 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
MY ADHD BRAIN CANT KEEP UP LOL

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 8&9/20
November 29, 2024 at 4:54 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 6&7/20
November 27, 2024 at 12:33 PM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 5/20
November 25, 2024 at 11:18 AM
justteachingela.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#BookSky
#BookChallenge
#Books
💙📚
Day 4/20
November 24, 2024 at 10:07 AM