Matt Cohen & Associates

07/31/2026

As we look towards the new school year, we are keeping an eye on how CPS is dealing with budget strains. Here are two articles on CPS funding that you should be aware of. All students deserve access to a well resourced public education. No exceptions.

Latino High Schools Hit especially hard by teacher cuts in CPS budget: https://www.wbez.org/education/2026/07/29/latino-high-schools-hit-especially-hard-by-teacher-cuts-in-cps-budget-heading-for-vote?utm_source=Newsletter_Daily-Rundown-Member&utm_medium=WBEZEmail&utm_campaign=Daily_Newsletter_Daily-Rundown_Sponsored_20260730&utm_content=7/30/2026&DE=

How CPS copes with staggering rise in special ed needs and costs: https://www.wbez.org/education/2026/07/18/cps-special-education-chicago-public-schools?utm_source=Newsletter_Daily-Rundown-Member&utm_medium=WBEZEmail&utm_campaign=Daily_Newsletter_Daily-Rundown_Sponsored_20260720&utm_content=7/20/2026&DE=

A WBEZ analysis shows high schools that enroll mostly Latino students are losing 7% of their classroom teachers, the most pronounced loss under Chicago Public Schools’ proposed budget. The school board is scheduled to vote on the spending plan Thursday.

07/24/2026

CPS is chronically underfunded and often faces staff layoffs. CPS has also been facing the double whammy of declining enrollment and an increasing percecentage of students qualifying for special education. At the same time, the frequent changes in funding and staff reorganization create
confusion and inefficiency in the operation of CPS programs, causing problems for the staff, the students and the parents. Consistent, equitable
funding and management should be an ongoing priority.

The district laid off a similar number of central office and citywide employees last year as it faced a similar budget deficit.

07/22/2026

The DOJ's move to label Major ADA Guidance as "not enforceable" is a move to further muddy the waters around the rights of disabled people.

The Trump administration is tossing aside key guidance that federal officials have used to steer enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act for more than a decade.

07/17/2026

We need your help! We are planning our webinar series for the 2026-2027 school year and would like to know what kinds of questions you have for our team of attorneys and advocates.

A few past webinar topics we have done (which are recorded and always accessible on our website) include:
🔹 Going Back to School Strategies
🔹 Autism - Myths, Realities and Advocacy Strategies
🔹 Building Effective Home-School Communication Strategies
🔹 Bullying: When Your Child/Student is Being Bullied
🔹 And more!

Please comment below or direct message us with ideas about webinar topics you would like to see!

07/13/2026

Up First from NPR · Episode

07/09/2026

Now is the time for action!

Sign this petition to from the Pacer Center to express opposition to the agreement to move the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services out of the Department of Education.

Reasons to sign and share:
- This move will increase confusion and decrease accountability
- Students and adults with disabilities will face more barriers to receiving the services they deserve
- This small action item will only take you a minute

Signatures accepted until JULY, 15

We, the undersigned parents, educators, individuals with disabilities, and other concerned parties, express our opposition to the Interagency Agreement (IAA) designed to move the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to the U.S...

07/06/2026

You do not want to miss our July newsletter.
Click below to learn more about
🔹 The split of the special education office from the Department of Education
🔹 Updates on No Child Left Behind
🔹 Chicago school board petition challenges
🔹 And more

Email from Matt Cohen & Associates LLC You don't want to miss this.   July 2026 newsletter This E-newsletter is devoted to sharing information about special education, disability rights, mental health

07/06/2026

Matt's thoughts are quoted in this article about the splitting of the Special Education and Office of Civil Rights from the Department of Education.

The gist: breaking up the departments will make communication and collaboration between them much more difficult.

As Linda McMahon further splits up the Education Department, some parents worry about a disjointed approach to serving kids with disabilities.

04/06/2026

Did you know that we offer IEP Checkups?

As we approach summer, IEP checkups are a great tool for ensuring your student's IEP will be supportive for them into the next school year 🔆

Call us: 866-787-9270
Email us: [email protected]