Christina Samuels at Education Week:
Nearly a year ago, the U.S. Department of Education said it was putting on hold for two years the implementation of an Obama-era rule that had the potential to affect how millions of dollars in federal special education dollars could be spent.
Nearly a month ago, a judge reversed the Education Department's delay, saying it was an "arbitrary and capricious" decision.
On Wednesday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was pressed by Rep. Donna Shalala, a Democrat from Florida, on the department's plans in the wake of the court decision.
"We are currently reviewing the district court order and deciding on next steps. We are moving toward implementation," DeVos told Shalala—similar to the response she gave when she was asked the same question by Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut in late March.
"You've had a month to review the order. The order isn't very complicated," Shalala told DeVos.
The underlying issue, though, is complex. The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act requires states to monitor how districts identify minority students for special education, discipline them, or place them in restrictive settings.
