Author: Cory Turner

Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia began a recent hearing of the House education committee by addressing the “elephant in the room” — President Trump’s efforts to diminish, and eventually dissolve, the U.S. Education Department. Jose Luis Magana/AP; Getty Images; Photo collage/NPR hide caption toggle caption Jose Luis Magana/AP; Getty Images; Photo collage/NPR U.S. education policy is at a crossroads. The White House wants to close the U.S. Department of Education, and has placed dozens of employees on paid leave with little explanation. Its plan, which it confirmed to NPR, is to quickly shutter programs that are not protected by law…

In the 1970s, a landmark federal law gave children with disabilities a right to a free, public education, and offered federal money to help. Today, many schools say that money isn’t enough. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: For a long time, children with disabilities had pretty dismal prospects when it came to schooling. Many were simply forced to stay home. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of a landmark federal law that helped change that by guaranteeing all children with disabilities the right to a free public education. But today, the costs of special education have led to a crisis for many…