The Changemaker 5/11/26
Federal technical assistance is being rebuilt — and the competition is reopening.
The Comprehensive Centers Program final rule takes effect June 8. If your district relies on regional technical assistance for IDEA compliance, continuity is not guaranteed.
Federal technical assistance infrastructure is being reset
On May 8, the United States Department of Education published the final rule redesigning the Comprehensive Centers Program. The rule takes effect June 8 and creates a new National Center on Improving Literacy for Students with Disabilities. The Department also signaled it may end current Center awards mid-cycle and run a new competition.
Comprehensive Centers are the federal infrastructure states have relied on for technical assistance in implementing IDEA. If the competition reopens, the relationships between states and current technical assistance providers reset. Region 6, for example, currently serves Kansas and several neighboring states. Districts that have leaned on their Regional Center for compliance support should not assume continuity past fiscal year 2026.
The practical implication: if you have open questions about IDEA implementation that you've been planning to bring to your Regional Center, bring them now. Don't assume the same contacts and resources will be available in the fall.
Tennessee passes largest school voucher expansion in US history
Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship Program creates statewide Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). Half of the initial slots were prioritized for students at 300% or below of free-and-reduced-lunch eligibility, students already in the state's existing ESA program, and students with disabilities. The design specifically directs scholarships toward special education families.
The provision every district leader should know: the hold-harmless cliff
Until the 2028–2029 school year, districts continue to receive state funding for students who leave for the scholarship program. Starting in 2028–2029, that protection narrows to students who left specifically because of the program.
Key considerations for SPED directors
- IDEA Maintenance of Effort requirements (34 CFR § 300.203) constrain how much expenditure can be reduced from year to year, even as the student population shrinks
- Parentally-placed private school students retain proportionate share services under 34 CFR §§ 300.137–300.144
- Model multi-year fiscal projections: what happens to the special education budget when general fund enrollment declines by 3%, 5%, and 10%?
The competitive case for staying in a public school district
The competitive case for staying in a public school district is built before the family is shopping for an alternative. The strongest argument is documented outcomes for students with disabilities — not loyalty to the public system.
If your district cannot point to measurable progress data for students with disabilities — across different disability categories, different grade bands, different service models — then the ESA is doing the work for you. The answer to school choice is school quality.
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