The Changing Implementation of Accommodations
The Changing Implementation of Accommodations Accommodations are something provided by law to people with disabilities. It is easy for people to understand physical accommodations such as wheelchairs and curb cuts. It is much more difficult for people to understand accommodations when it involves sensory and processing differences such as those common to autistic people. Because an autism diagnosis is one of a spectrum diagnosis there are a variety of ways autistic people experience their particular autism. In fact, even though there may be similarities, just as no two neuro majority people experience the world in exactly the same way,
Students with Disabilities Excel with High Expectations, Access, and Inclusion
"We know that when students with disabilities are held to high expectations, have access to a robust curriculum in the regular classroom, they excel." Secretary of Education , Arne Duncan Until recently, the Department of Education's primary focus was evaluating states compliance meeting procedural requirements- timelines for evaluations, due process hearings and transition services. Under the new framework, Results-Driven Accountability (RDA), the Department will also include educational results and outcomes for students with disabilities in making each state’s annual determination under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). “Every child, regardless of income, race, background, or disability can succeed if
Cheryl Jorgensen
Dr. Cheryl Jorgensen's website is an excellent resource for information about inclusive education, best practices, differentiated instruction, universal design, curriculum adaptation, writing standards based IEPs, facilitating social relationships and much more!
14 Year Old Advocates for His Civil Rights
My name is Christian Ranieri and I am a 9th Grader at Northport High School. You should know that I have a developmental disability called Autism. I have come a long way in life as I could not talk in the beginning but now I am able to express my message to you in words. When I was 5 I cried a lot and would throw myself on the floor when I got frustrated. I am proud to say that now I can speak clearly and to the best of my ability try to deal with my frustration in words.
Putting Education First by That Crazy Crippled Chick
"First, we must ensure that all children, including and especially those with disabilities, receive a quality education. Inclusion means nothing if a child is not receiving a good education, which is, in fact, the very reason we have schools in the first place. " Cara Liebowitz
2013 Top Ten Signs of Special Ed Advocate Burn Out
Subtitle: Why you may need a trip to a COPAA conference to relax. 1. You thought the OSEP’s MOU on NCLB’s AYP came from CDC and was about another STD. 2. You are were actually able to follow #1. 3. You asked the Advocate Committee to research OCR guidanc
Game Changer: Florida Senate Unanimously Passes Special Education Bill
The Florida Senate unanimously passed Bill 1108 on April 29th.
Law Would Give Parents Final Say About Special Diploma Track
A proposed law moving quickly through the Legislature would give parents of kids receiving special education services the final say about their child’s placement on a special diploma track.
School Says, “No Advanced Classes for Kids with IEPs”
My child has a learning disability. Her teachers want her to enroll in advanced classes. She is eligible based on her test scores and school performance. The School will not let her enroll her because she has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). What
Retention is Not a Form of “Specialized Instruction”
The school wanted to retain my son who has an IEP for OT, PT and Speech. They insisted he repeat second grade. I disagreed. Now in third grade, his teachers want to send him back to second grade. They say his writing is not on par with a “normal” third g
What’s the Difference between Reduction in Homework and Shortened Assignments?
By Kori Hamilton and Elizabeth Kessler, professional special educator and NICHCY advisor. Being able to provide ample opportunities for success to all students requires a clear understanding of the needs of each individual student. Every student has a unique learning style, and some students require more help than others. Students who receive special education services have a plan in place to identify the type of support(s) that’s needed. One type of support is an accommodation, which is a change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability. A modification, which is a change in what is being taught
Appropriate Education for Your Child – 02/15/2013
Unfortunately, our guest Howard Glasser, was unavailable for this morning's show! However, Terri and I managed to fill the 30 minutes (it's not hard!) talking about inclusion and education. During our show, we talked about finding appropriate education f
Wright’s Law: Why Schools Usually Say “No!”
My son is going to middle school. Same district, new school, just blocks apart. His 1:1 (same para for 3 years) has been the best thing that has come into his life ever. We want his para to follow him to middle school. The Special Education Director says
NCIE Webinar: Creating Inclusive IEPs
This February 20th webinar will focus on IEPs that target students’ full participation in inclusive general education classrooms and specify the supports needed for success.
Q&A: IDEA and child care
This 4-page brief explains the basics of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to child care providers, including early intervention for children under the age of 3 and special education and related services for school-aged children. It
IEP Team Member Apology: A Template for “Not Knowing It All – After All”
Have you just committed a real faux pas but find yourself at a loss for words to apologize? Perhaps you are a celebrity who needs to apologize for disability-related comment… A teacher who needs to apologize for outrageous classroom mistreatment… Or, a p
Evaluating the Efficacy of the LRE
I attended an IEP meeting recently that really brought home for me the complex nuances of determining what placement, or blend of placement options, represents the Least Restrictive Environment (“LRE”) for an individual student with an IEP. Not only are
Adding the I to IEP: H is at the table
We worked with the wonderful team at H’s Distributed Learning School to update his Individual Education Plan (IEP) and for the first time ever H was there to take part. He wasn’t completely interested – but we built-in other options for him so he could p
Access to the General Curriculum for Students with Disabilities: A Brief Legal Interpretation
Access to the General Curriculum for Students with Disabilities: A Brief Legal Interpretation By Joanne Karger and Charles Hitchcock Introduction The 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) introduced important changes in the provision of special education services for students with disabilities. One of the most significant changes concerns the requirement that students with disabilities receive access to the general curriculum. Specifically, the new Amendments require that students with disabilities: (1) have access to the general curriculum; (2) be involved in the general curriculum; and (3) progress in the general curriculum. The purpose of this brief is to
No Progress. School Says “No Change is Good”?
I’m a sped teacher with a child who has an IEP. The IEP team agreed that my child’s progress in Math will be measured with the KeyMath test. When the school last administered the KeyMath test, her scores dropped! It is not good news when a child’s test s
Special ed in distress A few schools get it right, but complaints and lawsuits are mounting against a troubled program serving 7,000 Seattle students.
Five years ago, a high-profile report found that Seattle's public-school district was decades behind the rest of the country in serving students with disabilities. Today, the problems are even worse. Six special-education directors — and three superinten
Why Won’t the School Provide Homebound Instruction?
My child’s doctor recommended homebound instruction. The school said they had the authority to override that recommendation. Why won’t the school provide homebound services? Issues of homebound are determined in part by state law and state regulations, i
AAPC Publishing Releases Lesson Plan a la Carte: Integrated Planning for Students With Special Needs
Integrate learning objectives with therapeutic supports and necessary modifications right in the classroom. Multiple worlds exist within the educational universe. Integrated planning happens when each of these worlds (teaching, clinical, administrative,
USC’s Special Ed Infographic
Welcome to Making Special Education Actually Work, the official blog of KPS4Parents. We sincerely hope that this blog proves to enlighten and empower all responsible adults to ensure that all children, regardless of disability, receive a Free and Appropr
My Civil Rights
Inclusion, Martin Luther King, Jr, The Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and education.
Another School year !!
Another school year begins August the 16th for us. My son is a young 1st grader , he will be 6 on August 23rd . But will still be five when school starts . His kindergarten experience wasn’t so great . Before he started school last year I met with the sc
What is the Timeline for Developing a Section 504 Plan?
My 6 year old daughter had her 3 year reevaluation. She has Childhood Apraxia of Speech and fine motor difficulty. She is doing well academically. At the IEP meeting, one month ago, it was decided that she no longer qualifies for an IEP. The school sugge
“Yee Haw, Howdy, Amen” – When Schools Make Up their Mind in Advance!
IDEA requires Parent Involvement in Placement Decisions and developing an IEP for your child. Pre-selecting programs violates this right.
Teaching Reading to Children with Special Needs
On Friday July 27, 2012, Nicole and Terri will be interviewing Dr. Kathleen Whitbread about the importance of including children with special needs in reading instruction. In todays schools, children who are deemed incapable of reading, are usually pulle
School-Wide PBIS & Teachers Who Bully
One reason, I suspect, is that people are so focused on holding bullies accountable that they’re not focusing on the real causes of bullying. But, that’s a reactive strategy rather than a proactive attempt to prevent bullying in the first place. Addition
Bullying Prevention State Laws
This new brief focuses on bullying prevention legislation. To date, 47 states have passed legislation requiring schools to take leadership in addressing the problem. This brief provides information on elements of a bullying prevention plan, the school’s
A Letter to Parents of Children with Special Needs
I hope you have an enjoyable and relaxing summer with your family! Don’t forget to keep your child reading, practice some math facts or maybe even keep a journal of your family vacation. It's easy to forget about school for the summer and let the days pa
Why Do Schools Resist Writing Methodology into IEPs?
Our child has a learning disability and has difficulty reading, writing & spelling. Nobody at the school understands dyslexia or how desperate our child is. We want multi-sensory learning like an Orton Gillingham approach. The school said they get to cho
Assistive Technology – What is UDL, NIMAS, and AIM?
The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) creates a national standard for print materials in accessible formats. Schools and publishers must adhere to these standards when creating educational materials – textbooks, workbooks, a
Sad, But True. Decision-maker v. Equal Participant
My school told me, “You are the expert at home and the district is the expert at school.” I did not agree to my daughter’s IEP. The district refused to allow me to tape record meetings and include my notes with the district’s notes. I filed a state compl
Children With Autism Are Often Targeted By Bullies
Lots of kids get bullied. But kids with autism are especially vulnerable. A new survey by the Interactive Autism Network found that nearly two-thirds of children with autism spectrum disorders have been bullied at some point. And it found that these kids
‘Seclusion rooms’ for autistic students raise questions
Andrew St. Vincent's parents pose questions around the coffee table as the middle-schooler with autism builds a Lego city. They want to know about the room. "So you were in there by yourself?" his mother asks. "When would you be in that room?" his father
Releasing IEE Data Without Parent Consent
I am a private psychologist. I completed an IEE, then turned in the report to the district and parents. We held an IEP meeting to review the results. Can the district request that I release my raw test data, test protocols, and test materials to the scho
Education Department Awards $24.6 Million in Grants To Support Teacher and Principal Development
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan today announced the award of nearly $24.6 million for three grants to improve student achievement by increasing the effectiveness of teachers and principals. Funded under the Supporting Effective Educators Development
Never Lose Hope
Here is a letter to an individual who believed my children wouldn’t be successful. This is living proof that as parents, we are wiser than others who think they know better. I met you last year at a conference. This conference was held by a local organiz
Are These Good Annual Goals?
Is this annual goal written correctly for a high school freshman? Judy will improve reading comprehension skills by using graphic organizers to access the curriculum with 70% accuracy per quarter. 1. Judy will summarize or bullet important information in
IEP Essentials Webinar
Thank you for supporting our mission. When a child qualifies for special education services, federal law requires the development of an Individualized Education Program. The IEP serves as a roadmap for services, including important information about a ch
UNH Institute on Disability Webinar: Writing Standards-Based IEPs with Measurable Objectives
Inclusive Practices in Action: Supporting Students with Disabilities in the Classroom Learn how to write IEPs in a way that connects students with disabilities to the general education curriculum while using measurable goals that meet identified needs. Who Should Attend: General and special education teachers, paraprofessionals, speech language pathologists, case managers, inclusion facilitators, physical and occupational therapists, and others are encouraged to attend. Sponsored by the National Center on Inclusive Education (NCIE) The NCIE at the UNH Institute on Disability (IOD) advances the view that disability is a natural part of the human experience and promotes the inclusion of all
Understanding the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Process
Your child’s IEP is the cornerstone of their education. This workshop offers an in-depth look at the evaluation process, qualifying for an IEP, the many components that must be addressed in the IEP document, as well as how progress will be monitored. As
Transition Planning & the IEP: Through the Doorway to Adult Life
Whether your child is 4 or 14, it's good to think about the future...The focus of this workshop is on the steps parents and students need to consider as they plan for the last years of school and the transition to adult life: personal futures planning; I
Autism and the DSM V
The DSM V is the yet (2013) to be published Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the handbook for diagnosing psychiatric and psychological illness or disorders. The latest iteration was the DSM IV TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Four, Text Revision)
Wrightslaw
Wrightslaw's mission is to provide parents, advocates, educators, and attorneys with accurate, up-to date information about special education law and advocacy so they can be effective catalysts. * Information for parents about their rights and responsibilities * Information for teachers about professional training so they can meet the diverse needs of their students * Information for advocates about laws, regulations, and advocacy strategies * Information for attorneys who want cases, pleadings, and tactics and strategies
The Gift of Knowledge
It’s been a couple of years now that I’ve been blogging about special education legal issues. Unfortunately, the realities of juggling a busy law practice, a family, and other professional commitments don’t allow me to do it enough, and I continue to ye
IDEA Money Watch Responds to Something’s Got to Change
In June 2011, the American Enterprise Institute (AIE) released “Something Has Got to Change: Rethinking Special Education,” a paper that examines special education spending and seeks to offer practical solutions to “tame out-of-control special education spending while serving special-needs students better.” IDEA Money Watch responds to the points AIE brings up. AEI also provided a teleconference during which the paper’s author, Nathan Levenson, presented a brief overview and responded to questions. Full Article at IDEA Money Watch
Who’s Leading Your Individualized Education Program (IEP)? The Importance of Self Advocacy – Part 2 of 2
This is Part 2 in a two-part blog post by Emalie Fogg provides guidance and resources for youth on how to get involved and take a lead in their own Individualized Education Program (IEP). When we’re growing up, our families, teachers, and adults make most of the decisions about our lives. As we become teenagers it’s important to start participating in the decision-making so that as we near adulthood, we’re ready to decide things for ourselves. No one knows better than you do what you want for your life today and in the future (your goals), what you’re good at
