JCC Manhattan hosts free special education resource fair

The event takes place at the JCC location at 334 Amsterdam Avenue at West 76th Street in New York City.

Advocates fear that recent federal policy shifts regarding disability rights could negatively impact transition planning for K-12 students with disabilities. In July 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice issued new guidance stating it will no longer rely on the 1999 Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. and E.W. for enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Trump administration has not fully eliminated the U.S. Department of Education, though it has cut certain positions and moved various functions to other federal agencies. Donald Trump pledged to close the department during his 2024 campaign and appointed Linda McMahon as the 13th U.S. education secretary. Trump stated he hoped McMahon would "put yourself out of a job". Closing the department requires congressional approval, which the administration failed to obtain even when Republicans held both chambers.

The Institute of Education Sciences, a research unit of the Education Department, maintains an annual budget of approximately $900 million. In June 2025, TIME magazine reported that Trump fired Harper and 12 other board members without cause.

Gabrielle Carpenter teaches a special education class for kindergarten through 2nd grade students at Daniel Webster School 46 in Indianapolis. Carpenter leads her nine students, all of whom have disabilities, in cooking lessons every two weeks to foster independence and improve fine motor skills. On October 2, 2026, the class prepared waffle mix as part of a lesson on making chicken and waffles. Carpenter wants her students to leave her classroom feeling capable of preparing their own meals independently.

Caitlynn Peetz Stephens reports on school district management and special education for Education Week. Gina Tomko is the Art Director and a Brand Ambassador for the publication.