Dive Brief:

• The DC Council unanimously approved two special education bills introduced last March by independent councilmember and mayora; contender David Catania.  
• The bills aim to speed up delivery of services, give more rights to parents challenging a school, and encourage charter schools to be more accessible for students with disabilities
• The district currently serves 13,000 students with disabilities, and the achievement gap between these students and the general population has been increasing since 2007. 

Dive Insight:

Critics of Catania feel the bills are an attempt to garner votes for the upcoming mayoral elections —​ but does that matter? Improving special education services is a must. If adequate services aren't provided, schools risk allowing many students to slip through the cracks. Additionally, creating more avenues for parents to vocalize their concerns is key. Although in a different region of the country, parents in California were furious when Jurupa Unified School District had special ed students sort trash as part of a functional skills program. While the school issued an apology, making sure parents could properly come forward with complaints was key.