Debbie talks with education reporter Anya Kamenetz about her six-episode limited podcast series produced in collaboration with Understood, Zero Reject, and why special education is at a crossroads in the US. They trace how special education evolved from exclusion and institutionalization into a civil rights framework, and how underfunding, staffing shortages, and policy shifts shape families’ experiences today.
About Anya Kamenetz
Anya Kamenetz is an award-winning journalist, author and podcaster. She covered education for many years including for NPR, where she co-created the podcast “Life Kit:Parenting.” Her last book was The Stolen Year: How COVID Changed Children’s Lives, and Where We Go Now. Kamenetz is currently an advisor to the Climate Mental Health Network, working on new initiatives at the intersection of children, well-being, education and climate change.Her next book, forthcoming from Bloomsbury in 2027, is about mental health and emotional resilience in a world of crisis. Her newsletter on these topics is “The Golden Hour.”
Things you'll learn from this episode
- Why special education is a civil rights issue and how disability rights protections affect millions of students and families
- How family-led advocacy and legal challenges led to the creation of IDEA and the rights students have today
- Why staffing shortages, limited placements, and inadequate resources can prevent schools from meeting students’ needs
- How the Office for Civil Rights helps families address disability discrimination and why changes in federal oversight matter
- Why teachers are often caught between wanting to support students and lacking the training, resources, and support to do so
- How universal design for learning, evidence-based instruction, accessible technology, and better teacher support can create more inclusive schools
Resources mentioned
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