‘Mother-May-I?’ attitude in Nevada laws quashing low-income entrepreneurship
The State of Nevada regularly presents itself to the world as a place where government is less overbearing and regulation-obsessed than most. But how true is that? The Governor’s Office of Economic Development, for example, touts Nevada as “A very business-friendly state, with state and local governments committed to streamlining… Read More
‘Catch Me If You Can,’ Part 1
If you’ve ever seen the movie Catch Me If You Can, you’ll remember the title character, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio. Frank Abagnale was a bright, charming but conscienceless teen who’d…
Digging into Question Three
Confused about Question 3? That makes about 3 million of us. Even among the politically informed, what may result from the passing of Question 3 seems unclear. Is it the…
Fixing Special Ed, Part 7:Autism, dyslexia, societal changes reveal a broken special-ed system
Once upon a time — say, back in 1975 — the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was, at least on paper, the very model of customized, personalized education.…
Fixing Special Ed, Part 6: Special-ed has a fundamental problem: Government rigidity blocks innovation
When Congress in 1975 passed into law the legislation now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the bipartisan majorities were overwhelming. In the U.S. Senate, the vote was…
Fixing Special Ed, Part 4:CCSD asked for special-ed audit then attempted to hide results
Remarkably, LAUSD’s current Independent Monitor, Dr. David Rostetter, who figured prominently in Part Three of this series, also has had a significant history with Nevada — specifically, with the Clark…
Fixing Special Ed, Part 1:Supremes’ decision on special-ed sets higher standards for care
If you’re the parent of a child with a disability, a unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court last March may have genuinely brightened your day. Alternatively, if you’re a…
Fixing Special Ed, Part 2: New, higher special-ed costs looming for State of Nevada
Today the effective legal standard for the education and services that Nevada public schools must provide special-needs children is significantly higher than it was just 11 months ago. That’s because…
Fixing Special Ed, Conclusion
It is increasingly clear that mankind is only beginning to understand how different we human beings — as individuals — actually are. A 2002 study by UC Santa Barbara neuroscientist…
Fixing Special Ed, Part 3:School systems have circumvented federal special-ed law for decades
If you’ve ever doubted that special-needs families face grudging resistance and outright lawbreaking in America’s school districts, David Rostetter can quickly destroy any illusions you may have. Since May 2014…
Fixing Special Ed, Part 5:2001: CCSD, State of Nevada lose precedent-setting Amanda J. case
One of the most startling revelations about how Clark County School District had been treating — or mistreating — special-needs families surfaced in 2001. That was when a four-year-old lawsuit…
Isaiah and His Mothers
When Isaiah and his folks moved to Las Vegas in 2015, a big reason was that the Nevada Legislature had just passed Education Savings Accounts into law. Isaiah’s two mothers…
Chappelle, Ty’jahnae and Taliyah
Chappelle, a single mother with three school-age children, decided this past school year to move her two daughters to a private school. Her son, oldest of the three at 17,…