Caledonia Elementary SPED students partner with 4th graders in Challenge of Champions
At Caledonia Elementary School on Wednesday, 19 students in the school’s special education department became champions.
Mississippi Senate to keep private school money through 2024
Mississippi state senators on Thursday voted to keep public subsidies alive through 2024 for special education students who attend private schools, overcoming some Democrats who were trying to kill the state’s Education Scholarship Account program.
Back in the classroom: Five years of custodial work paved the way for this teacher’s dream job
Sandy Devlin knows a good teacher when she sees one.
As graduate coordinator for special education at Mississippi State University, she helps prepare future teachers for the challenges they will face when they lead their own SPED classrooms.
CMSD solves compliance issues with SPED program
Columbus Municipal School District Special Education Department has been found compliant by the Mississippi Department of Education in three formal state complaints filed against the district last year.
Our View: CMSD SPED program takes steps in the right direction
Although it has yet to hear the final word from the Mississippi Department of Education, it appears the Columbus Municipal School District is well on its way to resolving the troubling issues that emerged in the district’s special education program (SPED).
CMSD to address SPED compliance at public meeting
Columbus Municipal School District will host a public meeting tonight to address improvements and ongoing concerns about its special education department (SPED) amid a state investigation.
Report: Nearly all CMSD SPED students underserved
A Mississippi Department of Education investigation into Columbus Municipal School District’s special education programs decisively found the district is failing to adequately educate and accommodate its SPED students.
Feds probe Mississippi investigation of disability education
The U.S. Department of Education is investigating a Mississippi woman’s complaint that a state agency mishandled an investigation into the education of her disabled child and retaliated against her for her complaints.
CMSD chooses new head of SPED
Columbus Municipal School District has a new director of its special education program.
SPED parent speaks at school board meeting
The parent of a special needs child in the Columbus Municipal School District spoke to the board for the second time this year to complain about what he believes is the district’s mishandling of his son’s educational needs.
Special education at CMSD: Becoming an advocate
The day Qua Austin’s daughter started kindergarten at Union Academy, the “girly girl” with big red bow on her head couldn’t have been more excited.
Parents’ complaints lead to investigation of CMSD special education department
Investigators with Mississippi Department of Education have been in and out of classrooms in Columbus since November, checking on all 472 students with special education needs in the Columbus Municipal School District.
SPED program comes again under scrutiny
Parents of children with disabilities complained to Columbus Municipal School District trustees Monday their children are not receiving special education services in a timely manner — or at all.
Our View: A compliant but unenthusiastic response to special-ed needs
Before Monday’s special-call meeting of the Columbus Municipal School District Board of Trustees meeting, board president Jason Spears said he hoped the meeting — an open forum on the district’s special education program — would show the district’s efforts go beyond “checking the boxes.”
CMSD Monday meeting to focus on special ed
A Monday special-call meeting of the Columbus Municipal School District Board will focus exclusively on special education. But board president Jason Spears doesn’t expect any official action to come of it.
CMSD clears state SpEd audit
After coming under fire for its special education model over the past year, the Columbus Municipal School District has increased its efforts to make corrections and improvements.
CMSD special education committee formed
After an initially tepid volunteer response, Columbus Municipal School District’s special education advisory committee has a full roster and has already met.
Three apply for CMSD special ed committee
Only three people have applied for a spot on a committee that would advise the Columbus Municipal School Board of Trustees on the district’s handling of services for students in special education.
CMSD to form parent advisory group to focus on special education services
Columbus Municipal School District trustees on Monday handed the task of forming a Special Education Parent Advisory Committee to Superintendent Philip Hickman.
Requests for special education money fall short of supply
Demand so far has been low for $6,500 scholarships that Mississippi is awarding to parents of special education students to use in private or home schooling.