Schools shape childhood. Childhood determines one’s prognosis for productivity, independence, and mental health, throughout life. We only get one childhood… Yet, in public schools there is no independent oversight or quality control, children are abused and their academic needs are neglected. Good teachers are fleeing the profession.
Our Mission
Every Childhood Counts exists to expose abuse and academic neglect of children with special needs in schools and to raise awareness of the impact this has on children, families and our communities in order to drive positive change.
Abuse Uncovered
Teacher and Staff Shortages
Good teachers and school staff are fleeing the profession.
Special education teachers report that failings from administration resulted in segregating students with various disabilities into one class. (Source)
Teachers feel unsupported by administration in providing services to students. (Source)
School psychologists report pressure from administration to act unethically and refrain from recommending support or services for students who need them to access school. (Source)
Retention of teachers and support staff in schools at an all-time low in the US.
Academic Neglect
Schools Caught Misrepresenting Achievement. Still, no independent oversight is required nationally.
Former EPISD Superintendent Garcia Sentenced to Federal Prison
Are America’s rising high school graduation rates real—or just an accountability-fueled mirage?
Cheating Clarksdale principal’s license yanked for 20 years
In Flap About ACT Score Reporting, Montana Orders Review
Investigation: High Schools Hide Dropouts by Steering Them to Alternative Programs
State Investigation Reveals Widespread Cheating in Atlanta Schools
Former Atlanta Educators Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Test-Cheating Case
How high can graduation rates go? The story of one school rocked by scandal.
29 New Orleans seniors in grade-fixing scandal won’t graduate despite summer work, promises
In D.C., 34 Percent Of Graduates Received A Diploma Against District Policy
No Quality Control of Teaching or Teachers, Once They are on the Job. Still, no independent oversight is required nationally.
Does ESSA Require Teachers to Be Highly Qualified?
Concerns Raised Over ‘Highly Qualified’ Teachers
How the public is deceived about ‘highly qualified teachers’
Restraint and Seclusion
See how many restraint and seclusion incidents your school has reported to the federal government. Then, ask yourself how many incidents were not reported, and why there is no independent oversight.
Judicial Opinions
Judicial opinions can enforce rights or eliminate them.
Hear from Families
Mother realized she couldn’t trust her autistic son’s school upon realizing the school was using campus officers, restraints, seclusion, and threats of expulsion – all in lieu of proper support for his autism.
Hear from Advocates
Our Work
The work of Every Childhood Counts is urgent.
1. Extensive social media, press, print media, and film, for political and academic outreach to promote awareness of the need for Independent oversight, transparency and enforcement of safe, quality, inclusive education.
2. An extensive digital archive of video-interviews of students, (current and former) families, educators and others, to promote awareness of the lack of due process afforded most families seeking safe effective education, and the need for Independent oversight, transparency and enforcement of safe, quality, inclusive education.
3. Provide Continuing Education Curriculum for attorneys, judges, legislators, educators and providers, promoting awareness of the need for Independent oversight, transparency and enforcement of safe, quality, inclusive education.
4. Partnerships with universities to maintain archives of the interviews to be broadly available to promote awareness of the need for Independent oversight, transparency and enforcement of safe, quality, inclusive education.
5. Partner with student journalism groups to interview their peers regarding experiences of neglect and educational abuse in K-12 schools, to promote awareness of students’ first person experiences, and the need for Independent oversight, transparency and enforcement of safe, quality, inclusive education.
Our Vision
Our vision: that all children have equal access to safe, enriching, inclusive, and effective education.
Write to Your Representative
Contact your local representatives. Let them know about the abuse and neglect that children with special needs are facing in public schools. Tell them about the need for Independent oversight, transparency and enforcement of safe, quality education.
Legislation
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Board of Directors
Elena Engel
Board Member
Jana Zimmer
Secretary
Andréa Marcus
Founder/Executive Director
Heather Gray
Treasurer
Geoff Alexander
Board Member