Disabilities
- Mother-Daughter Duo Graduates Together
Mother-Daughter Duo Graduates Together After more than twenty years at Daikin Applied Americas, Army veteran Rachel Sicheri decided she wanted to earn a degree to help advance her career.
- Jason Ballard House Bill 103 Seeks to Extend Vital Early Intervention Services for Virginia Infants and Toddlers
A bill introduced by Delegate Jason Ballard would extend Virginia’s Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers for children with disabilities.
- States take action against ‘claim sharks,’ who charge veterans for disability assistance
Consultants who charge military veterans to help them file their disability claims at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs make millions of dollars each year.
- Early Voting Opens Across Virginia as Mail Ballot Fight Continues
Virginia voters can cast ballots early in the 2026 election while courts continue to weigh a dispute over federal limits on mail voting.
- Lynchburg Transit Board to Vote on Suspending Sunday Service
At their monthly meeting, the Greater Lynchburg Transit Company board of directors will decide on Wednesday whether or not to suspend Sunday service due to a shortage of drivers.
- Virginia Senate Committee Advances House Bill 37 to Make Permanent Protections for Developmental Disabilities Services
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Senate’s Education and Health Committee unanimously approved House Bill 37 on February 26, 2026, rereferring it to the Finance and Appropriations Committee as the 2026 legislative session progresses toward crossover. The measure, which seeks to repeal a July 1, 2026, sunset provision on financial eligibility standards for developmental disability waivers,
- Amy Laufer House Bill 85 on Postsecondary Transition Counselors Deferred to 2027
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia House Committee on Education has continued House Bill 85 to the 2027 legislative session, signaling a cautious approach to expanding specialized certification programs for educators supporting students with disabilities in postsecondary transitions.
- Virginia moves toward regulating self-driving vehicles amid safety and liability concerns
Virginia is closer to regulating self-driving vehicles, which have steadily increased nationwide despite continued concerns over safety. Despite crashes that have led to restrictions in some areas, other states, such as Arizona and Texas, have continued to permit testing and deployment. With interest in the technology growing in Virginia, lawmakers are trying to get ahead […]
- Judge rejects bid from Virginia to block Medicaid work rules
States will have to meet a Jan. 1 deadline to implement new Medicaid work requirements, after a federal judge denied 25 Democratic-led states’ request to pause implementation of the rule. The broad tax and spending law President Donald Trump signed last summer, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, requires states that have expanded Medicaid to […]
- Virginia’s disability services gap persists despite progress, leaves young adults vulnerable
Medicaid waiver slots have increased in Virginia, expanding services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have lost school-based special education services. Even so, thousands of disabled Virginians are still waiting, because demand continues to outpace available slots. When people with certain disabilities graduate or reach age 22, they face a “services cliff,” as […]
- Prince William County FY2027 Budget Adds 85 Public Safety Roles and 59 Special Education Assistants
Prince William County officials have outlined significant investments in both public safety and education for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2027 budget. The newly proposed financial plan includes the addition of 85 new public safety positions and 59 new teacher assistants specifically designated to support students with disabilities. These targeted allocations reflect a broader county strategy […]
- Education department seeks new student assessment vendor
The Virginia Department of Education took the next step toward replacing its student assessment system, a move estimated to cost the commonwealth at least $30 million a year, after criticism over delayed results, technology access concerns and frequent changes. State and federal laws require all students to take state assessments, unless they qualify for a […]
- Virginia House Advances Legislation Establishing At-Risk Program for Public Schools
The Virginia General Assembly is considering important changes to the way public schools receive state funding for supporting students with additional needs. Legislation known as House Bill 92 would establish a dedicated At-Risk Program as part of the Standards of Quality that govern educational services across the commonwealth. This program is designed to provide resources […]
- National landlord with property in Virginia accused of housing discrimination
Civil rights complaints filed in Virginia and other states allege that Greystar, a national apartment management company, has violated fair housing laws by rejecting prospective tenants that use housing vouchers to help pay their rent. An investigation by nonprofit watchdog Housing Rights Initiative found over 100 instances where properties managed by Greystar in Virginia, Maryland, […]
- He Cannot Speak With His Voice. Virginia’s Schools Still Wouldn’t Listen
Noah does not speak with his voice. He speaks with his hands, with the careful shape of signs his family has worked hard to learn, with the urgency in his eyes when something is wrong, and with the full weight of a body that needs constant, skilled attention just to stay safe. At school, at […]
- She Asked for Help. The School Answered With Suspension
Maya is thirteen years old and already exhausted by the gap between who she is and what the school day demands of her. She is bright. She wants to do well. After one of her hardest moments she wrote an apology, asked for alternatives, and said she wanted to be a good leader. Yet the […]
- Virginia’s Children With Disabilities Keep Crying Out. Their Leaders Keep Looking Away
She is eleven years old and already carries a weight no child should have to bear. On some mornings she still wakes with the quiet hope that today might be different — that the classroom will feel manageable, that the adults will notice when her body starts to tighten, that someone will offer the support […]
- Fight-or-Flight at Six Years Old: One Girl’s Lawsuit Accuses Virginia of Betraying Children With Disabilities
Ava is six years old. On good days she can sit for a short stretch of time with a favorite book or a quiet activity, her small hands moving carefully, her focus intact for a few precious minutes. On harder days the world itself feels too loud, too bright, too unpredictable. Fluorescent lights hum. Classroom […]
- Loudoun Parent Alleges Multi-Year Failure to Educate Son with Complex Disabilities, Seeks Private School Placement and Hundreds of Thousands in Relief
Thomas is a 10-year-old boy who lights up when he talks about fishing or riding his bike through the neighborhood. A brown-belt in taekwondo, he has a soft spot for animals—especially therapy dogs—and has spent hours learning to care for them. He is energetic, curious, and, by many accounts, eager to please when the conditions […]
- Prince William County Public Schools Approves $2.9 Million for New Special Education Staff
Prince William County Public Schools has announced a massive financial commitment to expanding specialized student support as part of its newly approved budget. The district will allocate $2.9 million specifically to hire additional staff aimed at assisting students with disabilities. This funding is embedded within a broader multi-billion dollar financial plan that transitions the district […]
- Prince William County Advances FY2027 Budget with Major Investments in Public Safety and Special Education
The Prince William County government has officially advanced its fiscal year 2027 budget, placing a heavy emphasis on public safety and special education funding. Local officials approved the addition of 85 new public safety positions alongside 59 new teacher assistants specifically designated to support students with disabilities. This comprehensive financial plan aims to address rapid […]
- Virginia’s $770 Million Teacher Pay Hike Sparks Concerns Over Runaway State Spending
Virginia taxpayers are facing a massive financial burden as the state government commits an astonishing $770 million to fund a four percent salary increase for teachers in both fiscal years 2027 and 2028. This sweeping budget allocation doubles the original proposal made by the governor, raising serious concerns among fiscal conservatives about sustainable spending and […]
- Accelerated Medicaid Spending Hikes Threaten Virginia’s Fiscal Stability
Virginia taxpayers are facing another significant expansion of state spending as government officials push forward with accelerated Medicaid reimbursement hikes. Governor Abigail Spanberger recently proposed budget amendments that will drastically increase the compensation rates for home care workers across the Commonwealth. The plan mandates a four percent increase effective January 1, 2027, foll
- Prince William County Public Schools Approves Historic Budget Featuring 6.27% Average Salary Increase
Prince William County Public Schools employees are set to receive an average salary increase of 6.27 percent following the implementation of a new collective bargaining agreement. The compensation adjustment is a central component of the newly proposed 2.9 billion dollar budget for the upcoming fiscal year. This financial plan aims to maintain the school division’s […]
- Prince William County Proposes $29.9 Million to Fully Fund OmniRide and Advance Transportation Improvements
Prince William County officials have unveiled a proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget that includes a significant investment in local transportation infrastructure and public transit services. The comprehensive financial plan allocates $29.9 million to fully fund the local subsidy request for OmniRide, the primary transit provider for the region. This funding initiative is carefully designed to […]
- Virginia Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Massive Housing Subsidies in FY2027 Budget
The newly finalized budget for the Commonwealth of Virginia includes a staggering allocation of state funds directed toward affordable housing initiatives for the fiscal year 2027. Lawmakers have approved a massive $187.5 million in total biennial support for the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, which features a specific $100 million expenditure strictly for FY2027. This dramatic […]
- Virginia Medicaid Budget Balloons as Accelerated Pay Hikes for Home Care Workers Cost Taxpayers Millions
The Virginia state budget continues to expand under new amendments that accelerate compensation increases for home care workers, putting additional strain on taxpayers. Governor Abigail Spanberger recently returned the state budget with fourteen amendments, specifically requesting earlier salary increases for Medicaid-funded care providers. This move shifts a previously planned eight percent incre
- Prince William County FY2027 Budget Expands Public Sector Workforce with 129 New Positions
The proposed FY2027 budget in Prince William County, Virginia, features significant investments in new staff across multiple governmental departments. The financial blueprint includes the addition of 129.28 new full-time equivalent positions within the local government structure. This substantial spending targets critical areas like public safety, special education, and environmental sustainabilit
- Virginia Taxpayers on the Hook for $10 Million Expansion of Renamed Special Education Bureaucracy
Virginia taxpayers are facing another significant budget expansion as state officials push forward a massive $10.0 million funding increase for the fiscal year 2027 education budget. The general fund appropriation specifically targets the newly rebranded Support for Students with Intense Support Needs Application, formerly known as the Special Education Regional Tuition program. This costly financ
- Virginia Governor Signs Bill Expanding Disabled Veterans Vehicle Registration Fee Exemption
Virginia has taken a significant step in supporting its disabled veterans by enacting legislation that expands access to vehicle registration fee exemptions. House Bill 94, part of the 2026 Regular Session, amends section 46.2-739 of the Code of Virginia to include vehicles with standard passenger license plates in the exemption previously reserved for special disabled […]
- Virginia Delegate Introduces Legislation to Extend Early Intervention Services for Children with Disabilities
The 2026 Virginia legislative session saw the introduction of HB103, a bill sponsored by Delegate Jason Ballard that aims to extend the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities. This initiative directs the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to implement the federal extension option under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. […]
- Starting next year, public bathrooms in new Virginia buildings must have diaper-changing stations
A baby changing table in a public restroom. (Photo by Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria, had an “ah-ha” moment when her daughter, now three, was a newborn. She’d been at a restaurant and needed to change her diaper but there was no changing station in the bathroom. Virginia law […]
- Mother Testifies to Alleged Abuse, Fraud in Franklin City Public Schools Special Education Program
During the public comment period at a recent school board meeting, the parent, accompanied by a supporter, accused school officials of filing fraudulent truancy charges against her family after she reported abuse against her nonverbal autistic son, identified in related discussions as Elijah. She claimed the school submitted false statements to the court, resulting in […]
- Local Mother Raises Retaliation Claims Against Franklin City School Board Over Child’s Removal
During her remarks, the speaker held documents and emphasized her repeated requests for assistance, presenting text messages, phone calls, and paperwork as evidence. She characterized the school’s response as an abuse of authority and bully tactics, questioning whether this constitutes the treatment parents receive for speaking out. The mother called for immediate corrective action, stating […]
- New law will enhance emergency response for people with disabilities
Two things inspired Del. Leslie Mehta, D-Chesterfield, the most when she sought public office: her now-deceased eldest daughter Brooke and her passion for healthcare policy. Both converged in the first piece of Mehta’s legislation to be signed into law by Gov. Abigail Spanberger. House Bill 1370, she said, is about “making sure that those with […]
- Spanberger’s ICE actions deepen divide with Virginia Democrats
Gov. Abigail Spanberger within just 24 hours vetoed two legislative packages aimed at limiting federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Virginia while simultaneously signing other measures targeting masked federal agents and issuing a sweeping executive order governing how ICE officers may operate on state property. The mixed actions frustrated and baffled some Democratic lawmakers
- Franklin City Parent Alleges Systemic Special Ed Safety Lapses at School Board Meeting
Key allegations included a failure to properly investigate incidents, a lack of transparency, and instances where parents were not informed about occurrences involving their disabled children. The parent emphasized that these concerns extend beyond verbal issues or education matters to core child protection failures. She noted that incidents with developmentally disabled students are not always […
- Mother Raises Serious Allegations Against Franklin City Schools Over Special Needs Student Care
She contended that although funding is designated to follow individual special needs students, the corresponding level of care does not materialize. According to her account, families advocating for their children encounter repercussions rather than support from the system intended to safeguard them. The parent highlighted operational gaps that hinder effective service delivery, noting that grants
- Virginia Legislation Seeks Modernization of Social Services Technology Systems
Virginia lawmakers are advancing legislation aimed at modernizing the technological infrastructure supporting the state’s administration of key federal benefit programs. House Bill 66, introduced in the 2026 session of the Virginia House of Delegates, directs the Department of Social Services and the Department of Medical Assistance Services to engage a third-party vendor to conduct a […]
- Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office introduces Blue Envelope Program
Loudoun County, VA (May 9, 2025): The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) is proud to announce the launch of the Blue Envelope Program,
- Feds end special education monitoring in Virginia as advocates question post-review process
However, the state has taken the necessary steps to “address and resolve the findings of noncompliance and the required corrective actions” outlined in a March 13 monitoring report
- Governor Youngkin Acts On 60 Additional Bills, Vetoing 22 That Would Weaken Criminal Penalties and Undermine Public Safety
For Immediate Release: March 20, 2024 Contacts: Office of the Governor: Christian Martinez, Christian.