Special Education Family Engagement: Excel with Exceptional Lives
Our tools and resources will help you build great relationships and effective partnerships with your Special Education Families to better support students with disabilities and learning differences. Learn how we can help you.
For schools & districts
Our goal is to help your team collaborate with Special Education families to improve outcomes and school climates.
Maybe you’ve seen the research. Family engagement leads to better educational outcomes, increased job satisfaction for teachers, happier families, lower suspension rates, and better attendance.
In Special Education, building positive family relationships can be extra challenging, even though the work requires frequent, structured collaboration with families. Students have complicated needs and schools and families don’t always see eye to eye on how to meet them.
Schools are struggling with staffing and compliance. Relationships can become difficult or even involve legal action. The great news is that it doesn’t have to be this way.
Students
Have better educational outcomes: attendance, test scores, graduation rates, post-secondary attendance.
Educators
Are more successful motivating and engaging students,feel supported by families, have higher morale and professional satisfaction
Families
Have stronger relationships with their children, improved rapport with teachers and other school staff, and better understand their children's needs and challenges.
Schools
Gain a more positive climate, more support from families, and a better reputation (the grapevine matters!).
Districts and Communities
Reduce suspension rates and high-risk behaviors, increase levels of participation in after-school activities, improve educational outcomes system-wide.
Impacts of family engagement:
Exceptional Lives is the only program that is 100% focused on achieving better family engagement in Special Education.
Exceptional Lives helps you improve your capacity and skills for creating meaningful relationships with your Special Education families. We help you learn to partner better with families to achieve your shared goal– the best possible lifelong outcomes for every student you serve.
Why you should work with us:
- We have specialized training in harnessing the power of family engagement to improve outcomes for children, educators, districts and communities.
- We are experts in special education and disabilities. Our staff are experienced in education, health literacy, user-centered design, and quality improvement.
- We are parents and professionals with many years of experience working with and navigating Special Education and complex community-based services. We have been in the shoes of both your families and your staff.
- We have strong expertise in how to communicate with families effectively and empathetically.
Strong partnerships and collaboration between schools and Special Education families are critical. We can help you build them.
With our expert help:
- Teachers can stay focused on their students and benefit from parents’ input
- Parents better understand the system and learn to communicate their children’s needs effectively
- Student with disabilities get the support they need for a positive learning experience and great educational outcomes
- Administrators can get concrete data on where families are getting stuck and can help solve their problems upstream.
Hear what our partners are saying about us
Hear what our partners are saying about us!
Here, Dr. Lauren Miley outlines the work Exceptional Lives has done in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education and its Division of Diverse Learners.
What we Do
These resources offer support for families at each of the major inflection points and reflect your local laws, policies, and language.
Special Education Family Engagement Resources:
the latest from Exceptional Lives
How does clear communication in special education help schools reduce complaints?
Check out these tips and strategies for clear communication in special education. And learn why this reduces complaints.
How can teachers support parents of students who are new to Special Education?
Teachers: how do you support families of students new to Special Ed? Here are 5 things to do to get families off to a good start.
Headed to your first IEP meeting? Here are 5 things to do first.
If your child recently qualified for Special Education, you may feel a little overwhelmed trying to understand how the system works. Try these 5 things before your first IEP meeting to set your child up for success.
Family checklist: Getting ready for an IEP meeting
Whether you’re getting ready for your child’s 1st IEP meeting or their 10th, use this checklist to make sure you’ve got what you need to support your child.
How to be a great advocate for your child with disabilities
Learn how to be a great advocate for your child with these 5 practical tips that will help you navigate the Special Education system.
Creating an accessible classroom: 5 practical strategies you can start using today to meet your students’ needs
Teachers, if you are looking for ways to make your classroom work better for all your students, we’ve got you. Here’s how to get started.
Back to school for kids with disabilities: introducing your child to their teacher
It’s back-to-school time. How do you introduce your child with disabilities to the teacher? Here are some tips.
Building Bridges: Why is Family Engagement Important in Special Education?
Learn why family engagement is important in special education and how recent Overdeck Foundation research supports our work with schools.
Building a school climate that welcomes families of children with disabilities
How do you build a school climate that is truly welcoming of families of children in Special Education? Here are 3 steps to build trust.
How your IEP team can get parents involved at the meeting: Steps to engage families in a collaborative IEP team
Looking to learn how your IEP team can get parents involved at the meeting? Read here for concrete steps that help your team achieve meaningful parent participation in the IEP process.
Increasing Parent Involvement in the IEP Process
Parent involvement in the IEP process helps the family and the school. Here are some tips to improve your involvement with SPED families
Special Education Communication with Parents: Tools for California schools
Watch our on-demand webinar for strategies to improve communication between schools and Special Education families.
Calling all Texas educators! A new resource for improving parent-school communication with your Special Ed families
Great parent-school communication is so important, especially for SPED students. Watch this on-demand webinar for our best strategies.
How to communicate with parents of special education students: 5 tips from an IEP veteran
Teachers know that parent communication matters. Here are our 5 tips for how to communicate with parents of your special education students.
Plain language examples before and after: Great communication with your Special Ed families
Watch this short video of plain language examples to improve your plain language skills and build trust with families in your district.
How can teachers support students with disabilities? Advice from a graduate
Ally, now an adult, reflects on her experience in school. Here’s her best advice for how teachers can support students with disabilities.
Using Plain Language for Effective Communication with Parents
Learn how simple, friendly language leads to effective communication with parents. Get your messages across clearly AND build trust!
Special Education Checklist: The back-to-school edition
The Special Education checklist for back to school season can feel overwhelming. Here are 4 ways to make it easier.
5 tips for families to help students with disabilities prepare for tests
Does your child with a disability get stressed about tests? Here are 5 tips to help them prepare.
Conflict resolution in special education: solving disagreements with the school
If you’re in the IEP process, you and the school may disagree on your child’s needs. Learn about conflict resolution in special education.
Learn how Exceptional Lives can help you!
Interested in learning more about Exceptional Lives services? Use the form below and someone will be in touch.
- No spam, ever.
- We won't sell or share your information.
- By submitting this form, you consent to be contacted by a member of our team.
Exceptional Lives is the only program that equips parents and schools for a collaborative and informed partnership that is 100% focused on students with disabilities.
When informed parents partner with dedicated educators, every student with a disability can make progress.
The Exceptional Families Engagement Hub is a comprehensive one-stop-shop that combines localized and national resources, on-demand support, family education, and personalized paths no matter where a child is in their education journey.
Exceptional Lives helps you deliver a new level of support by incorporating family and school needs assessments as part of an overall robust implementation process and a continuous cycle of outreach, evaluation, and improvements.
See Results with an Exceptional Families Engagement Hub Personalized for Your Local Community:
- Teachers spend more time on instruction and less time supporting parents
- Parents understand what the system can offer and are able to communicate their children’s needs effectively with the school
- Student with disabilities get the support they need for a positive learning experience, and great educational outcomes
Every Exceptional Families Engagement Hub includes:
- Multi-media parent information experiences and on-demand family education (much of it in both English and Spanish) customized for your District
- A Localized Disability Services Finder
- Responsive live support
- Content available in English and en español
Ready to learn more? Contact us!
Our hubs include multi-media parent information experiences and on-demand family education
These resources offer support for families at each of the major inflection points and reflect your local laws, policies, and language.
New Diagnosis or No Diagnosis
Early Intervention
Special Education
Adult Transition
Searchable resource directory
Localized Disability Services Finder
Each DSF is customized and carefully maintained for each district and community served to expand resources to support children and families beyond the school walls. This makes it easier for families to find what they need, and relieves the burden from teachers and staff for helping families find these services
Searchable
By ZIP code, distance, insurance, type of service, and languages spoken.
Intuitive & easy to use
Mobile-friendly
Accessible in both English & Spanish
- 2800+
Total records
- Yearly
Review of every record
- 10+
Years experience serving families
"We have had a LOT of great feedback [since you presented for our special education team] about how helpful this information was for them in the field. They didnʼt know these resources existed, so it will definitely impact our schools for the better."
-Special Education Administrator, Louisiana
Frequently Asked Questions about our Disability Services Finder
A customized Disability Services Finder for your district can save your staff a ton of time and help your families have better access to services in your community.
Contact us today to learn more.
The Exceptional Lives Disability Services Finder is a bilingual, searchable, on-line directory of community-based resources to support children with disabilities and their families.
Each version will be customized and designed to meet the unique needs of your school district. The structure and functionality of the database is proven and already in use in Louisiana and Massachusetts.
Your DSF will be co-branded with your school district logo and tailored to the unique needs of your district.
Resources change so quickly that it is nearly impossible to maintain updated information without dedicated staffing and resources devoted to this purpose. Our team stays in regular contact with service providers listed to make sure we provide accurate, detailed information.
In addition, users can search our DSF based on distance from their ZIP code, type of service provided, whether the service accepts Medicaid, and a number of other factors so they can narrow down their list to exactly what they need.
If you have community-based resources you regularly refer families to, we are glad to incorporate those resources into the DSF.
We find that 80-90% of service providers experience a change in their business profile in the course of a year, so we routinely update 100% of our resource listings every year. Many are updated more often.
Each of our listings describes the services offered and who is eligible. We provide information about application processes when needed, and who the services are designed for. Our listings also include information about whether providers speak Spanish, and whether they accept Medicaid. We also specify the target population and whether the provider offers autism-friendly services.
Before adding a listing, we speak with a provider or administrator at the program. We will ask about licensure and practices and confirm all information available on the website. In the rare cases when we list a provider that does not accept insurance, we verify the license through the accrediting organization.
On the landing page for the DSF, we explicitly state that resource listings have been vetted for accuracy but that inclusion does not constitute endorsement or an indication of quality. We do not rate services because people’s experiences vary greatly depending on the needs of each child and family.
The DSF is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive. It can be accessed easily from a computer, tablet, or mobile device.
We also provide both simple written instructions and a short how-to video, both in English and Spanish, for anyone who needs more support.
All of our listings are written using plain language guidelines, which make it easy for families to read, understand, and use the information. We avoid acronyms and define important terms to make the information as accessible as possible to all.
Our DSF listings are all available in both English and Spanish. Spanish translations are provided by experienced translators, never by Artificial Intelligence. We also include information in each of our listings about whether providers speak Spanish.
"Live chat was so helpful. They answered my question quickly and directed me to helpful resources. Your customer support is great!"
-Parent via User Support
Expert, Family Support Chat Helpline
Live Chat Helpline
Our team members – themselves parents of children with disabilities – are available via chat, text, or phone to answer questions like:
- Who do I talk with if my child’s IEP doesn’t seem to be helping?
- How can I find an Occupational Therapist or Developmental Pediatrician that takes my insurance?
- What should I do if I think my child has a learning disability?
- How do I find an employment program for my student with disabilities who is about to finish high school?
- My child’s pediatrician doesn’t think there’s anything to worry about, but I’m still concerned. What should I do next?
- The doctor mentioned my child might be able to get Medicaid. How do I figure out if she’s eligible?
- … And so much more!
More samples of our family support content
Is my child different? Six steps to assessing your child’s development.
You may be asking yourself: is my child different? If you’re worried about your child’s development, here are 6 things you can do.
How do I know if my child is just a late bloomer?
What does it mean if your child is a late bloomer? Hear the stages of child development and the questions you can ask yourself about developmental delays. Narrated by Christina Kozik; Written by Julie McIsaac
What are Early Intervention Services? Can they help my child?
What are Early Intervention services? If you’re worried that your baby or toddler isn’t meeting milestones, EI can help. Here’s how.
4 Pieces Every IEP Goal Should Have
4 Essential Parts of a Great IEP Goal For Your Child With Special Needs By Dr. Howard, Professor & Board Member of the Federation of Children With Special Needs
Planning the transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities
What is the transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities? If your student has an IEP, here’s how to plan your teen’s move to life after high school.
Life after the IEP: How do I help my child with a disability transition to adulthood?
If your child has a disability, it might be hard to envision how they will transition to adulthood. Here’s how to set them up with the support they need for adult life.
Using Transition Assessments to plan for life after high school
For students with disabilities, schools use transition assessments to plan for life after high school. Learn how this works.
A Massachusetts IEP Process Guide: a breakdown of the IEP form
The Mass IEP form has just recently been updated, and for good reasons! It’s now designed to be easier to understand, to focus more on the student’s strengths and vision, and to encourage more team discussion.
