Starbridge: On September 26, Starbridge Inc. in collaboration with Alliance Against Seclusion & Restraint and PDA North America, will host a half-day hybrid conference titled Understanding PDA, designed for parents, professionals, and anyone seeking deeper insight into Pathological Demand Avoidance. The event features Guy Stephens, a dynamic speaker known for sharing powerful, practical information that supports inclusive practices and compassionate care. Register here.

Region A Drop-in Call: The next Drop-In call is scheduled for Tuesday, October 7, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST. There will be no TA presenter for this call. Join the call.

2025 NE-PACT Region A Conference: The 2025 NE-PACT Conference will take place October 28 at 1:00 PM through October 30 at 1:00 at the Courtyard Marriott Inner Harbor in Baltimore, MD. This year’s theme, “Collective Impact in a Rapidly Changing Environment,” will explore technology across service tiers, advocacy and skill-building, and strengthening staff and organizational capacity. On Wednesday night, we’ll celebrate 50 years of IDEA and 20 years of NE-PACT! NE-PACT will cover hotel and travel for two staff from each center, and reimbursement can be submitted after full attendance. Please upload your session materials by October 3, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST, and note that the full agenda will be sent to attendees prior to the conference. We look forward to a powerful gathering of leaders driving change across Region A! 

CPIR Calendar: Don’t forget to check out the HUB Central Events calendar at the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) for more webinars and events.

Ethical Leadership for Non Profits: Read this brief overview from the National Council of Nonprofits on ethical leadership here.

Putting Participants at the Center of Managing and Leading Nonprofits: The Stanford Social Innovation Review provides thought-provoking information about how to put participants at the center of our work. Read more here.

Sharing Your Story for a Public Policy Purpose: Developed by the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network for Family Voices, this resource offers guidance on how to effectively use personal stories for advocacy in various situations. It explains the significance of public comment periods and provides strategies to ensure that government officials hear your concerns. Whether you're new to advocacy or looking to enhance your impact, this resource offers practical steps to amplify your voice. Access the recording here.

7 Low-Cost Professional Development Ideas for Nonprofit Staff: This resource provides suggestions for how to provide low-cost but effective professional development for your staff. Check it out here.

Chronic absenteeism: 1 in 3 NYC public school students missed significant class time last year: About one in three students in New York City public schools were chronically absent last school year, according to new data released. Read more here.

What strategies can cultivate belonging and inclusion for English learners in schools? According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 48 million K-12 students are enrolled in elementary and secondary schools in the United States, and 5 million of these students – a little over 10% - are English learners (ELs). Learn more here.

Bullying, Self-Harm and Suicide: One in five students is bullied each year at school. You can find resources to help students and parents. Access here.

Prevent Child Abuse: Prevent Child Abuse America is the nation’s oldest and largest organization committed to preventing child abuse and neglect before it happens. Promoting programs and resources informed by science that enable kids, families, and entire communities to thrive—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come. Learn more ​here.

How Vouchers Harm Public Schools: The Economic Policy Institute provides an analysis of the ways in which vouchers harm public schools, and has developed a tool that estimates fiscal externalities - the dollar costs to school districts from students leaving public schools with a voucher. An externality produces an outcome for those who aren’t responsible for the decision at hand. In the case, the fiscal externality is the negative effect that voucher programs have on public schools systems, as they redirect money away from traditional public schools. Users of the tool, which can be found here, can try out different scenarios to see how much money students will lose out on. The fiscal externality helps to put a number to the reality that children who don’t participate in voucher programs will still bear the cost for educational choices that others make. The fiscal externality doesn’t quantify the entire cost of voucher programs, but it represents an important and often hidden cost. 

Raw, Real, and Uplifting: Memoir Persistence Redefines What It Means to Live with a Disability- Author Linda Dezenski Shares Her Story and Challenges Society to Rethink Disability: What does it mean to live in a world not designed with you in mind? In her powerful and deeply personal memoir, Persistence, author and disability advocate Linda Dezenski invites readers into her world. Read more here.

Data on Voucher Recipients: Most Private School Voucher Recipients are Students who never attended public schools: The National Coalition for Public Schools has analyzed information on private school voucher recipients and finds that a majority never attended public schools, and most voucher recipients come from wealthy families. Read more here.

States balance supports and discipline to address troubling student behaviors: A host of proposals and new laws aim to allow or ban corporal punishment, remove violent students from classrooms, and restrict preschool suspensions Read the good, the bad, and the ugly here.

Dispute Resolution Options: CADRE offers clear guidance on resolving special education disputes, including mediation, state complaints, and due process. Their resources explain each option and how it supports collaboration between families and schools. Access resources here.

Philly is expanding one of its most effective dropout prevention strategies: A Philadelphia program focused on addressing the city’s student dropout crisis is expanding into four new district schools this year.  Learn more here.

10 Issues in Early Childhood Education: Early childhood education faces numerous challenges that hinder effective teaching and learning. These include limited resources, inadequate funding, and insufficient infrastructure, making it difficult to provide quality early learning experiences. Read more here.

Cuts to K-12 Formula Grant Programs: $5 billion in federal funding for nine K-12 formula grant programs hangs in the balance between White House and Senate proposals. Read this Learning Policy Institute blog here.

Loan Forgiveness for Teachers of Color Is Discriminatory, Trump Administration Says: The Trump administration has sued the Rhode Island Department of Education and the Providence public school district, claiming a program that provides loan forgiveness to teachers of color discriminates against white teachers. Learn more here.

Resources for Adoption and Foster Care: This directory offers contact information for State child welfare officials, programs, agencies, organizations, support groups, and services with a focus on permanency, foster care, and adoption. Access ​​here.

Grandparents are VIPS:  Grandparents were the guests of honor earlier this month when the Dunham Children’s Learning Center celebrated Grandparents Day. The children treated their VIP visitors to a special activity and outdoor playtime. Read great suggestions on how to engage and celebrate grandparents here.

Here’s What We Know About the Causes of Autism: PBS News provides an overview of what we know about the causes of autism - and no, it’s not taking Tylenol during pregnancy! Check it out.

Should the president’s FY2026 budget proposal be enacted by Congress, how would that change, and what would be the potential impact on the homeless student community? The protections and resources that the federal government has provided to the 1.4 million school-aged children are critical to their access and success in school. Read more here.

Special education enrollment climbs to nearly 8M: Data suggests the number of students with disabilities between ages 3-21 could jump by about 1 million between 2021 and 2025 if current trends hold. Learn more here.

Trump’s Immigration Policy Is Built on a Massive Political Miscalculation: He doesn’t understand why Americans care about illegal immigration in the first place. Learn more here.

Teaching in 2025: The Challenges of a Divided Country: ​​Creating safe, inclusive classrooms feels more challenging in some places across the United States—but it’s far from impossible. Here’s how real teachers are ensuring that every student and family feels safe, seen, and welcome in 2025. Read more here.

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act: This resource provides an outline of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act (JJDPRA) or Senate Bill lSS.2248 and explores the potential impacts of each revised section on Title II administrators and implementors in the states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Read more here.

Do Ask, Do Tell: Talking to Your Health Care Provider About Being LGBT: A trifold brochure offers guidance for individuals navigating conversations with healthcare providers about their sexual orientation or gender identity. This resource provides practical advice to support your journey. Check it out here.

2025 Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Toolkit: Connecting individuals and communities to the right support can make all the difference. Join us as we raise awareness, provide resources, promote evidence-based suicide prevention strategies, and share messages of hope and healing. Learn more here.

Pentagon officials on Tuesday announced a new review of Defense Department support programs for homeschooled students in military families, part of a larger administration effort to expand education options from kindergarten through high school. Read more here.

The Silent Crisis: Suicide Among Native Americans Reflects Global Mental Health Emergency: September 10 is recognized worldwide as World Suicide Prevention Day. On this day, the global community pauses to reflect on a tragic reality: over 700,000 people die by suicide every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This means one life is lost every 40 seconds. Yet beneath this staggering number lies a deeper crisis faced by marginalized communities, including Native Americans, whose suicide rates far outpace national and global averages. Read more here.

When Fear Comes to School: Supporting Immigrant Families in this Moment: Parent Teacher Home Visits has valuable tips on supporting immigrant families in the current environment. Check it out here.

Poverty and Its Impact on Students' Education: Students living in poverty often have fewer resources at home to complete homework, study, or engage in activities that help equip them for success during the school day. Many impoverished families lack access to computers, high-speed internet (three-fourths of households currently have access to high-speed broadband), and other materials that can aid a student outside of school. Read more here.

Michigan district agrees to reform seclusion and restraint policies: A Justice Department probe found the Montcalm Area Intermediate School District violated the Americans with Disabilities Act in how it punished students. Read more here.

The Power of Transformative Social-Emotional Learning: Educators are integrating mindfulness, emotional regulation, and student empowerment into daily routines. Read more here.

Why accessibility might be AI’s biggest breakthrough: While tech companies market AI as a productivity tool for everyone, a UK government study reveals an unexpected result: Neurodiverse employees may be benefiting far more from chatbots than their neurotypical colleagues. Learn more here.

The Best Smart Assistive Devices for People with Disabilities: To many, smart-home devices seem like a luxury or a novelty — electronic gadgets that flip on your lights, tweak your thermostat to a comfy temperature, or announce package deliveries. But for anyone who lives with a disability, smart devices are a powerful enabler.  Read more here.

How Trauma Impacts School Performance: School-related trauma (like bullying or unfair punishment) often leads to school avoidance, leaving the most vulnerable students behind academically. Trauma also negatively impacts young people’s sense of self, making it difficult for those students to feel motivated, proud, and engaged in their learning. Read more here.