RobinReach

RobinReach

Wishing everyone a restful and safe Thanksgiving.

The Trump admin just ended a long-running federal survey that tracked how students move from high school to college, per reports. This follows nearly $1B in education research cuts, per reports. Critics say this erases key equity data.

Cigna’s new policy will limit reimbursement for outpatient OT and PT provided in hospital settings unless deemed medically necessary.

RobinReach

From NICUs to school access to stroke rehab and fall recovery, OTs help people do what matters.

The Telehealth Modernization Act would extend Medicare telehealth waivers to Sept 30, 2027.
Without action, waivers end Sept 2025.

Federal funding for deafblind programs in 8 states was cut, impacting family support, training, and assistive technology access.

The DOE may cut federal special ed disparity data. Advocates say it ensures accountability as some groups face overidentification

RobinReach

🎒 School-based OTs look at what students need to participate.
🧠 We assess grasp, coordination, and how hands and eyes work together.
✂️ Then we match tools: scissors for easier control, guided paper, feeding aids, writing supports.
Goal: access, independence, confidence.

When Homeland Security Came for Kindergarten HSI agents walked into a shelter and turned play tables into interview rooms. This is what happened and what it means for every professional who guards a room’s purpose.

When Homeland Security Came for Kindergarten
open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...

The Firewall Is Up: Join the Professional Resistance The same tactics once used on immigrants are now aimed at every profession. The Firewall Network is here to fight back.

open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...

Exercise the Power of the Purse | NEA Stop the Department of Education from withholding $6.8 billion in education funding.

Exercise the Power of the Purse www.nea.org/advocating-f...

OT student Lior Nissanian created a toolkit to help dentists support children with autism’s sensory needs.
https://shorturl.at/8Z8CJ

Research shows people with dyslexia and ADHD learn differently in complex tasks without clear instructions. ADHD individuals struggle to update knowledge well; those with dyslexia forget info faster. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00323-4

Recent research (Broström et al., 2025) links smaller brain volumes to motor challenges in preterm kids, highlighting the need for early intervention.

Early Partners preschool in New Orleans serves children aged 1 to 5, combining play-based learning with data tracking to prepare kids for kindergarten. The school boasts a 100% kindergarten readiness rate,
https://shorturl.at/eiRqy

15% Cut to the Department of Education

The Big Beautiful Bill would have a significant impact on OT. Medicaid cuts risk OT access and ending Graduate PLUS loans may reduce new therapists entering the field. https://shorturl.at/ukslK

Trump's 2026 budget cuts Education Dept funding by 15%
https://shorturl.at/Vwqqz

Mistakenly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia on way back to US to face criminal charges: Sources Mistakenly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia is on the way back to the United States to face charges of transporting undocumented migrants within the U.S., sources say.

ABC reports Kilmar Abrego Garcia is being returned to the United States
abcnews.go.com/US/mistakenl...

The Roundup: Five of the Biggest Publishing Stories of May 2025 May saw a number of new imprints, AI debates ramping up, and a big deal for an industry icon and a content king.

Hot off the presses (Is that a thing people still say or am I dating myself?). Five of the Biggest Publishing Stories of this past May: New imprints, Frey ❤️ AI, a Beast of a Deal, book-banning b*stards, and a Jeep+Publishing collab I didn't see coming.

#WritingCommunity
#WriterSky
#PublishingWatch

Assistive tech like AR and iPads boost learning for SEND students, but broader research and access are needed
www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/artic...

After-school programs are vital for students & families but face cuts. We must protect and support them!

https://shorturl.at/kxrqs

Boys start kindergarten less prepared than girls, facing challenges due to higher academic demands and slower development.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/31/upshot/boys-s...

Trump cuts $2.75B Digital Equity Act, calling it "racist." Millions of students, seniors, vets & rural families will lose internet access support.

https://shorturl.at/KijUW

AI can support neurodiverse learners by providing tailored, adaptive tools that improve engagement and outcomes, creating more inclusive classrooms.

www.eschoolnews.com/innovative-teaching/2025...

Colorado joins many states in starting universal dyslexia screenings to better support students with dyslexia early on.

www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2025/05/23/poli...

High school students used 3D printing to design adaptive tools for iPad for individuals with disabilities.

www.secondwavemedia.com/concentrate/features/sal...

Judge blocks Trump administration from closing the Education Department The federal judge also told the administration to reinstate department employees who lost their jobs during the reduction-in-force announced in March.

It’s a preliminary injunction, but good news for now.
www.npr.org/2025/05/22/n...

Taylor Carty, who has cerebral palsy, fights to remove barriers in medical education for people with disabilities, pushing for inclusive policies and equal access to becoming doctors.

www.npr.org/2025/05/15/nx-s1-5272736...