Education Across the States

A plain-English, section-by-section walkthrough of Arizona Administrative Code R7-2-401, the special education standards every Arizona public education agency works under, from child find screening and evaluation timelines to IEPs, consent, preschool minimums, and state monitoring.

Sources

- Arizona Administrative Code, Title 7, Chapter 2, Article 4, R7-2-401 (official text via Arizona Secretary of State, Title 7 PDF: https://apps.azsos.gov/public_services/Title_07/7-02.pdf ; browsable mirror: https://regulations.justia.com/states/arizona/title-7/chapter-2/article-4/r7-2-401/)

- R7-2-401 as adopted by the State Board of Education October 23, 2017 (engrossed November 15, 2017), Arizona Department of Education: https://cms.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2017/11/R7-2-401%20As%20Adopted%20by%20the%20Board_Engrossed.pdf

- Arizona Department of Education, AZ FIND guidance for Public Education Agencies: https://www.azed.gov/specialeducation/az-find and Child Find FAQs: https://www.azed.gov/specialeducation/child-find

- Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services, Programmatic Monitoring Manual 2025-26: https://cms.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2025/08/Programmatic%20Monitoring%20Manual%202025-26.pdf

- IDEA regulations, 34 CFR 300.111 (child find) and 34 CFR 300.301 (initial evaluations): verify at ecfr.gov by searching Title 34, Part 300, or at sites.ed.gov/idea by searching the section number.

- OSEP Memorandum 11-07 (response to intervention may not delay or deny evaluation): verify at the U.S. Department of Education OSEP policy letters page by searching "Memo 11-07".

To verify any provision without a stable URL: search the Arizona Secretary of State Administrative Code site for "Title 7 Chapter 2 R7-2-401", or search azed.gov for "Exceptional Student Services" plus the topic (child find, monitoring, prior written notice).

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A plain-English, section-by-section walkthrough of ASCA 16.0101, which enacted the ten-article Compact for Education in 1978 and seated American Samoa as a full party in the Education Commission of the States — what each article requires, who the territory's seven commissioners are, how the money and audit rules work, and how an educator uses the compact's clearinghouse, data, and policy work in daily practice.

Sources:

- ASCA 16.0101 Adoption of compact (official text, American Samoa Bar Association, Code Annotated): https://asbar.org/code-annotated/16-0101-adoption-of-compact/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contactsatoz&id=32&sortby=lastname

- The Compact for Education, December 1965 (Education Commission of the States; founding history and Terry Sanford introduction): http://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/Compact-for-Education-Dec1965.pdf

- ASDOE Part B SPP/APR, FFY 2019 (unitary SEA/LEA structure statement): https://www.amsamoadoe.com/_files/ugd/bcdca0_406edcf3d7cc4eef94ada061de4c7d53.pdf

- American Samoa Department of Education homepage (system size: 22 ECE sites, 23 elementary schools, 6 high schools, 12,000+ students): https://www.amsamoadoe.com

- To verify current ECS membership and commissioners without a stable URL: go to ecs.org, open the About / Commissioners pages, and select American Samoa; to verify ASDOE division structure, go to amsamoadoe.com and open the Divisions pages.

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Washington cut Transition to Kindergarten funding by twenty five percent this spring — now state officials have a phased plan to restore it, while thousands of new early learning slots show that awarded seats and open classrooms are not the same thing.

Sources:

- OSPI news release, April 9, 2026, 'School Districts Statewide Face Legislative Cuts to Critical Early Learning Programs' (ospi.k12.wa.us, News Center > News Releases) — 157 districts, more than 7,000 TK students, 25 percent funding cut, nearly 2,000 fewer students, WaKIDS readiness results across six domains.

- Citizen Portal summary, October 14, 2026, 'OSPI and DCYF outline ECAP expansion and phased TK restoration plan to the legislature' — ELAC briefing: restore pre-cut TK funding first, then controlled growth; roughly 2,400 new ECEAP slots and 42 new sites, some awards returned for staffing, subcontracting, and facility constraints.

- Washington State PTA and League of Education Voters summaries of ESSB 6260 and the 2026 supplemental budget — TK prioritization for existing programs and extreme child care deserts, eligibility criteria, and the funding reduction.

- Citizen Portal summary, October 15, 2026, 'State Board adopts 2027 legislative platform, urges full funding for basic education' — unanimous platform restoring TK funding; public comment on TK readiness.

- OSPI Washington State Learning Standards Review page (ospi.k12.wa.us, Student Success > Learning Standards > Washington State Learning Standards Review) and CSTA Washington, 'Survey for Revised CS Standards Due Dec 13' — computer science and educational technology survey open October 15 to December 13, 2026, announced in OSPI Bulletin B035-26 on October 14, 2026; standards last revised 2018, adoption scheduled second half of 2028.

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Kansas districts have four days to fix last year's graduation record before the state's old student data system hands exit records to its replacement, while a national report card gives the state a D in personal finance with an A projected for 2028 and the Kansas School for the Deaf community shapes its next superintendent search.

Sources:

- Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), KSDE to release 2026-27 version of the Kansas Education Data System (KEDS), August 6, 2026: https://www.ksde.gov/news-center/featured-stories/2026/08/06/ksde-to-release-2026-27-version-of-the-kansas-education-data-system

- KSDE Information Sheet, KIDS/KEDS 2026-2027 Submission Overview, August 19, 2026: https://kedx.ksde.gov/docs/default-source/default-document-library/kids-keds-2026-2027-submission-overview.pdf?sfvrsn=20e02f1_1

- National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), Kansas Earns a D Grade in 2026 National Report Card on Teaching Personal Finance in High Schools, October 1, 2026: https://www.nefe.org/_files/report-card-documents/final-press-release/Kansas_Final_10.1.2026.pdf

- Kansas Administrative Regulations 91-31-35, Graduation requirements (one-half unit of financial literacy): search Cornell Law Institute for Kan. Admin. Regs. 91-31-35

- Innivee Strategies, Kansas School for the Deaf and Innivee Strategies Announce National Search for Next Superintendent, October 22, 2026: https://inniveestrategies.com/kansas-school-for-the-deaf-and-innivee-strategies-announce-national-search-for-next-superintendent/

- Johnson County Department of Health and Environment and Olathe Public Schools joint statement on the Bentwood Elementary norovirus outbreak, reported by KCTV and People, October 2026: https://people.com/nearly-100-students-and-staff-sickened-norovirus-outbreak-at-kansas-elementary-school-12189608

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A plain-English, educator-focused walkthrough of 17 V.I.C. § 285, which makes the Virgin Islands Department of Education the responsible agency and state educational agency for ensuring every child with a disability in the territory receives a free appropriate public education under the IDEA.

Sources

- Virgin Islands Code, Title 17, Chapter 24, § 285 (Department of Education; responsible government agency) — text via Justia's mirror of the 2019 Code: https://law.justia.com/codes/virgin-islands/2019/title-17/chapter-24/285/ — Verify against the official Code: go to legvi.org, open the Virgin Islands Code, Title 17 (Education), Chapter 24 (Education of the Disabled), § 285.

- VIDE testimony to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, Committee on Education and Workforce Development, May 9, 2025 (SOSE as regulatory arm for OSEP; general supervision, monitoring and enforcement of IDEA Part B; staffing and contracted-service figures): https://legvi.org/CommitteeMeetings/Education%20and%20Workforce%20Development/2025.05.09%20SPECIAL%20EDUCATION/Testimonies/VIDE%20Testimony%20-%20May%209,%202025.pdf

- VIDE FFY 2024 State Performance Plan / Annual Performance Report, Part B (general supervision system, yearly monitoring of both districts, two-prong correction, EDPlan): https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/VI-B-SPP-APR-FFY24.pdf

- OSEP 2026 SPP/APR determination letter, Part B — U.S. Virgin Islands, June 18, 2026 (Needs Assistance): https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/VI-B-SPP-APR-FFY24.pdf — Verify: go to sites.ed.gov/idea, open SPP/APR Letters, select Virgin Islands, 2026 Part B.

- OSEP Dear Colleague Letter and Guidance on State General Supervision Responsibilities (OSEP QA 23-01), July 24, 2023: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/idea-files/dear-colleague-letter-general-supervision-responsibilities-july-24-2023/

- 34 CFR 300.149 (SEA responsibility for general supervision): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/34/300.149

- 34 CFR 300.101 (Free appropriate public education): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/34/300.101 — Verify 34 CFR 300.600-300.604 the same way: go to law.cornell.edu, Legal Information Institute, Title 34, Part 300, sections 300.600 through 300.604.

- Legislature of the Virgin Islands, Committee on Education and Workforce Development report, July 14, 2026 (district vacancies and evaluation backlogs; SOSE increased oversight): https://legvi.org/committeemeetings/Education%20and%20Workforce%20Development/2026.07.07%20Demo-Construct,%20Redistrict-School%20Ready,%20SPED/Committee%20Report/07.14.26%20-EWD%20Committee%20Report.pdf

- VIDE Notice of Procedural Safeguards (IDEA): https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1745433059/videvi/fiikokoo2bcbruerru3c/FinalProceduralSafeguardsNotice-English.pdf — Verify: go to vide.vi, State Office of Special Education, parent resources, Notice of Procedural Safeguards.

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Thirteen applicants seek Denver's District 3 school board seat on a board split three to three, Timnath offers town money for a one-year pause hours before Poudre's closure vote tonight, and the Colorado Department of Education opens brain injury support office hours for the school year.

Sources

- Chalkbeat Colorado, "13 people apply to fill a vacancy on the Denver school board," published October 26, 2026: https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/10/26/13-people-apply-to-fill-denver-school-board-district-3-vacancy/

- Fort Collins Coloradoan, "Timnath officials offer to work with PSD to keep their school open," published October 26, 2026: https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/education/2026/10/26/timnath-offers-to-work-with-poudre-school-district-to-avoid-closing-timnath-elementary/92442709007/

- TBI on the Hill, "Colorado's Brain Injury Help Desk for Kids," published October 26, 2026: https://tbionthehill.com/2026/10/26/colorados-brain-injury-help-desk-for-kids/

- Colorado Department of Education, Traumatic Brain Injury page (Brain Injury Support Office Hours dates: October 22, 2026; January 28, February 25, April 22, May 27, 2027; registration required): https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/sd-main/sd-tbi

- Colorado Department of Education, About BrainSTEPS Colorado and BrainSTEPS best practices (no medical diagnosis required; team input at IEP and Section 504 meetings): https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/sd-main/sd-tbi/brainsteps/about-brainsteps-colorado

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Pennsylvania's House Bill 2786 would require every school entity to adopt a generative AI policy by 2027-28 and bar AI from making final decisions on grading, discipline, placement, and IEP development, evaluations, and revisions — plus the companion mental-health chatbot ban, educator AI training grants, the Senate's Human Students Need Human Educators bill, and the signed bell-to-bell cellphone law.

Sources:

- Pennsylvania House Bill 2786, Printer's Number 4006 (text adding Section 1303.3-A to the Public School Code of 1949), via the Pennsylvania General Assembly bill information page: search palegis.us for 'HB 2786 2025-2026 regular session'

- Formative Spaces newsroom, 'PA House Bill 2786 would require all school entities to adopt AI policies by 2027-28, bar final AI decisions on grading and IEPs' (October 12, 2026): https://www.formativespaces.com/newsroom/pennsylvania-hb2786-ai-policy-mandate

- Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Rep. Chris Pielli news release on H.B. 2788 AI Professional Development Grant Program (October 6, 2026): https://www.pahouse.com/Pielli/InTheNews/NewsRelease/?id=145532

- Pennsylvania House of Representatives, opinion, 'The Time is Now for PA to Have a Clear AI Education Policy' (package overview: Dukes, Shusterman, Pielli bills): https://www.pahouse.com/Schweyer/InTheNews/Opinion/?id=145607

- Pennsylvania Senate Democrats, 'Senator Lindsey M. Williams Introduces Human Students Need Human Educators Legislation Banning AI Educators from Classrooms' (October 1, 2026, Senate Bill 793): https://pasenate.com/senator-lindsey-m-williams-introduces-human-students-need-human-educators-legislation-banning-ai-educators-from-classrooms/

- Chalkbeat Philadelphia, 'Pennsylvania school cellphone ban signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro' (October 26, 2026): https://www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2026/10/26/pennsylvania-school-cellphone-ban-signed-by-josh-shapiro/

- Citizen Portal committee reports on HB 2787 and HB 2788 (October 7, 2026): search citizenportal.ai for 'House Bill 2787 AI chatbots student mental-health services Pennsylvania' and 'House Bill 2788 educator AI-training grants'

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Two free-tuition programs share a name, a one hundred thousand dollar income threshold, and a fall 2027 start — but only one of them exists. A plain side-by-side of the launched New Hampshire Promise and the proposed Community College Promise, what each covers and excludes, and what the differences mean for transition planning for students with disabilities.

Sources:

- University System of New Hampshire / Keene State College, New Hampshire Promise program page and October 1, 2026 launch announcement: https://www.keene.edu/new-hampshire-promise and https://www.keene.edu/news/2026/10/usnh-launches-new-free-tuition-nh-families-making-100k

- Manchester/Nashua Ink Link, October 15, 2026, Governor Ayotte proposes Community College Promise Program for the state's seven community colleges: https://nashua.inklink.news/ayotte-proposes-free-community-college-tuition-for-nh-families-earning-up-to-100000/

- RSA 126-U:8, Review of Restraint Records by Department of Education (annual report due each November 1): http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/x/126-u/126-u-mrg.htm

Verification without a stable URL: search keene.edu for New Hampshire Promise to reach the program page and launch announcement; search inlink.news for Community College Promise Ayotte for the October 15, 2026 proposal report.

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A plain-English, section-by-section walkthrough of Rhode Island's Charter School Regulations (200-RICR-20-05-2) for educators — establishment and the December 1 / July 31 gates, preliminary vs. final charters and accountability plans, major vs. minor amendments, oversight, 5-year renewal weighted most heavily on academic evidence, lottery and waiting-list rules, certification, management contracts, appeals, and waivers, plus the IDEA and Section 504 bridge.

Sources:

- Charter School Regulations (200-RICR-20-05-2), Rhode Island Department of State, rules.sos.ri.gov — https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/200-20-05-2 — verify by searching rules.sos.ri.gov for "200-RICR-20-05-2" and opening the Part page and Download Regulation PDF.

- RIDE-hosted PDF of 200-RICR-20-05-2 — https://ride.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur806/files/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Board-of-Education/Regulations/200-RICR-20-05-2.pdf?ver=2020-05-20-161921-510

- Cornell LII / Justia mirrors of 200-RICR-20-05-2.2, 2.4, 2.6 and 2.8 — verify by searching law.cornell.edu or regulations.justia.com for "200-RICR-20-05-2".

- Rhode Island General Laws Chapters 16-77, 16-77.2, 16-77.3, 16-77.4 (charter types), 16-39 (appeals), and 42-35 (Administrative Procedures Act) — verify at rilegislature.gov, Statutes > Title 16.

- Rhode Island Office of the Auditor General, New Application Review — Independent Charter Schools — https://www.oag.ri.gov/muni-school-charter/charter-school-newapp.html

- RIDE, Rhode Island Announces First Statewide Equitable & Accessible Educational Portal, EnrollRI (Dec. 1, 2020) — https://ride.ri.gov/press-releases/rhode-island-announces-first-statewide-equitable-accessible-educational-portal

- Federal: IDEA, 34 CFR Part 300 (including provisions on public charter schools and children with disabilities), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act — verify at ecfr.gov, Title 34, Part 300.

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A plain-English, section-by-section walkthrough of MARSE Part 2 — the 10-school-day notice rule, Michigan's 30-school-day evaluation-to-offer timeline, the 7-day offer notice and 15-day start rules, IEP content and extended school year, district responsibility, independent evaluations, mediation, due process before an administrative law judge, and surrogate parents — and how each rule connects to federal IDEA requirements. Sources: Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE), official MDE PDF, Part 2, R 340.1721-R 340.1725f: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/specialeducation/MI-rules/MARSE-R3401701toR3401873.pdf?rev=a39a9c74ebfc430294d43daa4cb21ac8 | Michigan Department of Education, Laws and Regulations (special education): https://michigan.gov/mde/services/special-education/laws-regs | Michigan Alliance for Families, Evaluation guidance: https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/evaluation/ | Special Education Mediation Services, Dispute Resolution Options Compared: https://mikids1st.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Special-Education-Dispute-Resolution-Options-Compared4.pdf | Federal regulations: to verify 34 CFR 300.300, 300.301, 300.320-300.324, 300.502, 300.503, 300.506-300.519, go to ecfr.gov, select Title 34 Education, Subtitle B, Chapter III, Part 300, and open the cited section number.

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