Weekly Edition - 3.4.25

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, established by President Ronald Reagan in 1987 through a presidential proclamation. For over three decades, this observance has highlighted the contributions and needs of individuals with developmental disabilities across our nation. This month offers a perfect opportunity to support your local advocacy organizations, attend community events, or simply learn more about inclusive practices that benefit everyone.

🗓️ Your week in review: Disability protections face legal challenges while Texas improves dyslexia accommodations. A controversial autism hair test launches as New Jersey offers new ID designations for autism and communication disorders.

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The Big Idea

This week’s featured story: a closer look at developments making waves in the I/DD community

💥 They backed down. After fierce opposition from disability advocacy groups, 17 state attorneys general have dramatically narrowed their legal challenge against federal disability protections. What started as a broad attack potentially threatening decades of civil rights protections has transformed into a more targeted challenge, leaving most of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act intact.

Why should this matter to you? Section 504 is the backbone of disability rights in federally funded programs - the very protections that ensure your loved one with Down syndrome receives accommodations in schools, healthcare facilities, and workplaces. The attorneys general, led by Texas' Ken Paxton, now claim they only intended to challenge a 2024 provision classifying gender dysphoria as a potential disability, not the fundamental protections that families in our community rely upon daily.

This legal battle reveals how quickly established disability rights can become collateral damage in broader political disputes. The original lawsuit asked courts to declare the entirety of Section 504 unconstitutional - a move that alarmed organizations like the National Down Syndrome Society. Only after public outcry did the coalition clarify their more limited intentions.

Religious education stakeholders have also entered the conversation. The National Catholic Educational Association noted that while most Catholic schools accommodate students with disabilities, they generally aren't direct recipients of federal funds affected by Section 504. Meanwhile, the National Catholic Partnership on Disability expressed support for disability protections while specifically objecting to the gender dysphoria provision. If you would like to read more, check out the original article.

Across The Nation

From Capitol Hill to community centers: the national updates shaping our collective future

🔬 One tiny strand reveals potential answers. LinusBio's new Clearstrand-ASD test claims to rule out autism in children as young as one month old by analyzing metabolic patterns in hair samples. While promising 92.5% accuracy and results within three weeks, the $2,750 test lacks FDA approval and peer-reviewed validation. Medical experts urge caution, recommending parents continue traditional developmental screenings with pediatricians rather than rushing to this early-stage technology. If you would like to read more, check out the original article.

Community Catalyst

Local Innovation Worth Spreading: See how local changes are creating ripples of progress nationwide

🚗 Safety takes a new form. New Jersey's new program will soon allow residents with autism and communication disorders to display a special "5" designation on their driver's licenses, accompanied by a detailed "pink card" explaining their diagnosis. This initiative addresses the potentially dangerous misinterpretations that can occur during law enforcement interactions, when autism-related behaviors might appear uncooperative. For families like Tim Barlow's, whose autistic son experienced anxiety during a traffic stop, this simple designation provides crucial context that could prevent escalation. Starting next week, individuals can apply with six points of identification and formal documentation of their diagnosis, creating a more inclusive and understanding approach to public safety encounters. If you would like to read more, check out the original article.

🏆️ Parents won. A new Texas law requires schools to shift dyslexic students from limited 504 plans to more comprehensive special education IEPs by summer—finally addressing parent frustrations over inadequate resources. The change brings stronger legal protections but intensifies challenges for districts already facing critical special education staffing shortages and spending nearly $2 billion more than they receive in state funding. Districts currently resort to hiring contractors at 3-5 times the cost of regular staff as overworked educators leave for these same companies. Bipartisan support for increased special education funding exists but stalled during 2023's voucher debates. If you would like to read more, check out the original article from the Houston Chronicle.