Special Education Today newsletter 5(38)
What might we have missed over the week ending 22 March 2026?
Welcome to the 38th issue of the newsletter for Special Education Today for the fifth year of its existence. This issue covers the week that began 16 March 2026. There were things happening in SETLand, and Dear Readers will find notes about many of them here in this issue.
Of course, they’ll be organized in the usual clumps: image, status, spedlettes, and comments. Let’s get to it!
Image of the week
I brought a touch of spring into SET Central this week. I put some in a glass of water in front of my monitor which had a draft of then-forthcoming post for SET. And I took a few with me to lunch with a couple of pals on Wednesday. This photo shows that second batch.
As I’ve noted about some previous photos, this is no beautiful, important, or significant image. The takeaway message is pretty simple: There are blooming daffodils in Pat’s yard. If there’s any deep meaning, it’s that spring sprang this past week…the equinox came…there’re flowers in the future on this side of the equator. Yay! (And I hope that the autumn is lovely for all y’all in the southern hemisphere.)
Status notes
SET is about half way between 1100 and 1200 subscribers.
Thanks to loyal readers, Jane B., Tom Z., and Li-Yu H. (she’s an SET author, too!) for dropping comments this past week.
Over the past 30 days, content on SET has been read > 28,000 times.
Spedlets
As usual, here is a catalog of the posts from the previous week. All the posts were on the free side this week (sorry I didn’t post anything that was for paying subscribers only), so there’s no subheadings this week. Also, as usual, I’ve shown the authors’s initials are in brackets.
Special Education Today newsletter 5(37): Redundant...sure, for those who kept up for the week ending 15 March 2026? [JWL]
DISES extended due date for conference proposals: By when does one have to submit for the 2026 meeting? [JWL]
US Advisory Committee on Immunization disruptions: What should organizations do? [JWL]
US President Trump asserts dyslexia should disqualify candidates for president: Should we have seen this coming? [JWL]
Don’t get all tipsy, please: What is the matter with tips for teaching? [JWL]
Friday photos: It’s Lisa Bowman-Perrott: Even if it isn’t her birthday, isn’t it a great day to celebrate her contributions? [JWL]
Friday catch-up notes—20 March 2026: What didn’t become a spedlet this week? [JWL]
Down syndrome day again—2026: If it’s 3-21, do you know what day it is? [JWL]
If you wonder whether you might have missed a mailing such as one of the foregoing items, check the Web site!. SET sometimes publishes post without sending a mailing, so check the Web site at SpecialEducationToday.com. You can also go there and search the archives, or you just simply review something from a recent mailing. There is a list of the recent posts and a link at the top of the page to the “archives.” Remember, too, that there is a page showing “clumps” which are keyword listings of posts throughout the history of SET organized topically.
Editorial
If one looks closely at the bottom right of this week’s photo, one can see a person’s right wrist. That, Dear Readers, is the wrist of Ed Polloway. Dan Hallahan sat far off the right of the photo field and to Ed’s left when I took the photo at the table where the three of us had lunch this past week. These gentlemen are SET stalwarts; they are long-time readers (and contributors—check the comments). So that you’ll get a better idea about them, though, let me say that I was sitting at lunch with two eminent scholars who have contributed greatly to the education of children and youths with disabilities:
Ed: Former professor at Lynchburg University where a building was named for him. Former Rosel Schewel Distinguished Professor of Education and Human Development at Lynchburg. Long-time fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Former dean of graduate studies and vice president for community advancement at Lynchburg. Author or co-author of dozens of books about disabilities and education (see a partial list on Research Gate). Still a witty and knowledgeable guy who is a delightful luncheon companion.
Dan: Former professor at University of Virginia where, like Ed, he held an endowed chair (maybe two?) and leadership positions in the school of education. Recipient of CEC’s lifetime award as outstanding researcher in multiple areas (including learning disabilities and ADHD). Author or co-author of dozens of books about disabilities and education (check the profile of Dan on Research Gate). And, also, like Ed, an all-around good guy who is full or wisdom and wit and is a delightful luncheon companion.
So, I was the young guy at the table with these eminent folks. The conversation moved quickly. Of course, whenever three older guys get together it is necessary to discuss the health and medical aspects of aging (the “organ recital”) and to recite a few favorite recollections (I don’t want to demean the memories by calling them “war stories,” but that’s a familiar term a few readers may have heard or used for similar parts of conversations). To be sure, there were substantive conversations about special education and disabilities, but we didn’t solve a one of the world’s problems. Sad.
Ed drove generally north from Lynchburg and Dan and I drove mostly south from Charlottesville. We met at a conceptually mid point in Nellysford (VA) and ate at Basic Necessities (which is a place where Dan and Ed apparently have met for lunch many times previously). I recommend it for anyone who’s traveling through the Rockfish Valley and Wintergreen area. The convivial and helpful staff served very tasty food.
I brought the flowers, but I forgot to get a photo of the three of us. The flowers were a supplement to the the little Jack Snipe daffodils that were already on the table at Basic Necessities. The photo will have to wait for another time.
Even though Dan, Ed, and I weren’t able to advance the cause of educating children with disabilities very far during our lunch, I hope you, Dear Readers, are continuing on that quest. To facilitate your efforts, please remember to take care of yourselves, your family members, and friends—eat well, exercise, be patient with others, drive (bike, walk, run, cross streets) carefully…and, of course, remember to teach your children well.
Endless happiness,
JohnL
John Wills Lloyd, Ph.D., UVA Professor Emeritus
Founder & Editor, https://www.SpecialEducationToday.com/
SET should not be confused with a product that uses essentially the same name and is published by the Council for Exceptional Children. SET predated CEC’s publication by decades; I wonder if CEC put “today” in all capitals to distinguish its product from SET. Despite my appreciation for CEC, this product is not designed to promote that organization nor should the views expressed here be considered to represent the views or policies of that organization. A membership in CEC does not get one a subscription to SET and vice versa!