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Perspectives For Parents:
Advice & Support from Parents & Caregivers
Ask the Attorney: What Special Education Placements are Available for My Child?
September 20, 2017
There is a continuum of placement options available for your child. To recap, the spirit of the IDEA law is that the school places your child in the least restrictive environment (LRE), such as a classroom alongside children who do not have disabilities.Take a look at this graphic for an idea of your options,…
Read moreAsk the Attorney: How Do I Know if My Child is Really in the Least Restrictive Environment?
September 20, 2017
The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) provision of law requires that students with disabilities receive their education alongside students without disabilities “to the maximum extent appropriate,” which is somewhat vague. This means that a student’s default placement should be in the general education classroom, often with various supports and services. Students should only be removed…
Read moreAsk the Attorney: How Can I Tell If My Child is Making Progress if He is Still Reading Below Grade Level?
August 24, 2017
The IEP team will measure your child’s progress based on whether he meets the goals in that year’s IEP. That said, it is important to make sure those goals are measurable. You will often see phrases like, “The student must read 10 words correctly in 2 of 3 trials with 80% accuracy.” It’s not…
Read more6 College Scholarships for Students with Learning Disabilities
February 28, 2017
For many families, creating a college plan for a child with disabilities is a challenging process. Finding the right school that addresses your child's specific needs requires a great deal of research. The added layer of costs for higher education makes for a more stressful experience. However, these 6 college scholarships can help bring financial…
Read moreHow to Communicate Your Child’s Needs In An Inclusion Classroom
November 21, 2016
Entering an inclusion classroom can feel stressful. You may be wondering how to communicate with your child's peers and their parents about your child's needs. Here are five (or six) actionable steps you can take to communicate effectively with your child's class. STEP 1: ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEARSWhen my son entered kindergarten, I felt nervous.…
Read moreRomper’s “11 Children’s Books to Understand Learning Disabilities”
September 12, 2016
Understanding diversity can be a tough concept for kids, especially if they have not met many other kids that are different. Romper.com, a news and motherhood site, recently shared their list of "11 Children's Books That Help Kids Understand Learning Disabilities". Reading these books with your children - whether they have a disability or not - can…
Read moreRethink Discipline: Behavioral Supports for Students with Disabilities
August 9, 2016
With another school year right around the corner, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) recently put out advice to help schools make sure they’re giving students with disabilities the behavioral supports they need.The guidelines remind everyone that under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools should try to keep a student in the classroom…
Read moreSchool’s Out: Assessing This Year’s IEP
June 29, 2016
Another school year is behind you. You’ve been scrambling to attend end-of-the-year activities. Your child is bursting at the seams to be done with school. Now, school’s out and summer’s here!With all the excitement of summer vacation, you can quickly get too busy to set aside time and reflect on the school year gone…
Read moreThinking about Special Education: Getting a Referral for Evaluation
February 23, 2016
You feel your child is struggling in school. You’ve tried to ask your child about school, but they only get upset. When you talk to your child’s teacher about his or her progress, they agree with you that your child is having a hard time in class. Your child’s teacher has suggested that you think…
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