February 19, 2026
The Boost News
SPOTLIGHT: I/DD AND THE NEWS
I just learned about the Plain Truth Project and wanted to share its mission and link right away. A collaboration among journalists, researchers, and self-advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities, it has a critical goal: Making the news more inclusive.
We know what most politicians claim they don’t: People with I/DD care deeply about the issues that affect their lives, and they vote in elections. It’s critical that these individuals pay attention to the news and are included in the news as sources.
The Plain Truth Project’s research paper, “You’ve got to either adapt to us or get out of the field”: A qualitative analysis of people with intellectual disabilities’ perspectives on journalism and news media, published last April, looks at why people with I/DD have a generally negative perception of the news, the barriers they face, and more. Here, a few highlights:
- Parents or guardians sometimes don’t want to or let people with I/DD watch or read the news. Usually that is because they want to protect them from learning about bad things.
- The words in the news are sometimes hard to understand. For some people, reading news is harder to understand than watching it.
- People want to see more good stories about people with I/DD.
STATES
Colorado Democrats want to protect the civil rights of students with disabilities Legislation would task the state ed department with investigating complaints of schools falling short in serving kids with 504 plan. (Colorado Sun)
DHHS ‘error’ in case of Nebraskan with disabilities hits home with state lawmaker He and wife fear some vulnerable Nebraskans are being “peeled off” of public health insurance benefits. (Nebraska Examiner)
Path to Independence students in Nevada find community and gain confidence through inclusive campus living It’s the only program in the state to offer fully inclusive on-campus housing for students with I/DD. (Nevada Today)
In NJ, Families closer to health coverage for adult kids with disabilities Legislation would compel insurers to continue benefits after age 26. (NJ Spotlight News)
Disabilities Beat: Buffalo, NY, Public Schools suspension disparities reflect a national problem The podcast speaks with a national expert who believes fixing problems with inequitable punishment is going to be left to the states. (Buffalo Toronto Public Media)
NYC’s Mamdani budget would stabilize funding for summer school and preschool special education (Chalkbeat)
New Mexico Legislature Passes Senate Bill 64 To Strengthen Support For Students With Disabilities The bill establishes the role of deputy secretary for special education. (Los Alamos Daily Post)
In Texas, mother of special needs child reports challenges getting paperwork for $30,000 school voucher Many districts have a backlog of IEPs for public school students; add in private school students needing new IEPS for vouchers, and some parents say it’s created a headache. (CBS News)
Washington bill could cut funding for children’s disability services The program at risk, E-SIT, helps babies and infants with severe medical and genetic conditions. (KXLY)
AUTISM
Should people with autism and very high needs have a separate diagnosis? Takeaways from AP’s report As the definition of autism has widened, there’s been a growing push to create a new diagnosis, called profound autism, for those who need constant and lifelong care. (AP)
As some people push to make profound autism its own diagnosis, this family is raising twins with it (AP)
Autism Study of Drug Touted By Trump Administration Retracted The European Journal of Pediatrics posted a notice late last month indicating that it was withdrawing a study on leucovorin in children with autism due to inconsistencies in the data. (Disability Scoop; paywall)
Chlorine Dioxide, Raw Camel Milk: The FDA No Longer Warns Against These and Other Ineffective Autism Treatments (ProPublica)
SPECIAL EDUCATION
90% of student discrimination and harassment complaints were dismissed last year. Here’s why. Students with disabilities and survivors of sexual misconduct can’t rely on the Department of Education — the target of budget cuts and staff reductions — to intervene for them, new reports find. (The 19th)
Congress fully funded Education Dept, but it’s moving ahead with reassigning employees to other agencies (Federal News Network)
BUDGET
The Autism Society’s Capitol Connection newsletter breaks down what’s provided for people with disabilities in the approved funding package. (Autism Society)
VOTING
Trump’s election bill tops 50 Senate votes, but Democrats could still block it The SAVE America Act would create new barriers to voting. (NBC News)
RESEARCH
Racial and Ethnic Variation in the Prevalence of Long-Term Services and Supports Needs (Brandeis)
Project Eugenics: The Rollback of Disability Rights (New Disabled South)
Global Disability Legislation Index A guide to disability laws and policy, with a focus on employment, across 100 countries. (The Valuable 500; first seen in Disability Debrief newsletter)
New Oregon study shows why Medicaid patients nationwide struggle to find doctors (Oregon Live)
INTERVIEW
An Interview with Bob Williams A talk with the nationally recognized leader on policy issues relating to supporting people with the most significant disabilities to live, work, and thrive in their own homes and communities. (UnHidden)
THE JUGGLE
Elana Meyers Taylor’s victory in her fifth Olympics was about far more than gold The American won her first Winter Games title at 41 while advocating for Black athletes, mothers and the deaf and Down’s syndrome communities. (The Guardian)
GOOD IDEAS
In the Chicago suburbs, young adults with special needs say ‘Yes, and…’ to improv (WBEZ)