Learn Your Special Education Laws, Special Education Rights, and Share IEP Goal Ideas

When we started educational therapy for my son the summer after 2^nd grade he had hit the wall.  Earlier in the year he had been diagnosed with auditory processing disorder and was receiving pull out resource at school.  The resource program was not working and he had shut down emotionally at school. Read the rest of this entry →

As I watched my son do the backstroke across the swimming pool, I thought about how far he’s come.  Just four years ago, he couldn’t even figure how to put his jacket on all by himself.  Read the rest of this entry →

In 2004, the federal government set new guidelines for effective instruction in core disciplines, including reading.  IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, strengthened the requirements for identifying and educating students with disabilities.   Read the rest of this entry →

Children with special needs have experienced more frustration and academic failure than most other children.  Yet, some of them become successful college students who graduate with a specialty in a chosen field.  Sadly, most do not.  Only about 57 percent of students with disabilities graduate from high school, and only about 10 to 15 percent of those graduating attend college.  Read the rest of this entry →

15 million school age children in the US have learning problems that public and private schools can’t solve.  There are 72,000 special education students in LAUSD, alone.  Every day these students sit unhappily in class, losing hope of ever realizing their dreams.  Students are living in pain and shame. They are not learning to be successful students.   Read the rest of this entry →

How does a parent, who doesn’t have a degree in their child’s suspected disability, fight for the proper amount of services when the school specialist is recommending something less than the parent thinks is necessary.  Read the rest of this entry →

If at first you don’t succeed…try, try again was my philosophy when I searched for a sport that my son could excel and enjoy at the same time.  Not an easy task, since he has auditory processing disorder and developmental delays.  One disability affects his understanding of what is being asked of him and the other interferes with his strength and coordination.  Read the rest of this entry →

The biggest mistake you can make as a parent is assuming what you are being told by your local school district is accurate.  You would be surprised at how many school officials really don’t understand their own policies and procedures.  Most of the time, these are well meaning teachers and administrators that just have not read the entire 200 to 300 page policies and procedure manuals that governs special education in their District.  Other times they are deliberate misrepresentations to try and persuade the parents to go along with what the District is recommending.   Some of the best lines I have heard include:  Read the rest of this entry →

My son was only a few hours old when we discovered he had an eating problem.  The nurse brought him to me and said he couldn’t suck and they didn’t have time to feed him in the nursery, so it was my responsibility.  I delivered him at four o’clock in the morning, so I was exhausted!! Read the rest of this entry →

A child with special needs typically wants structure and consistency in their life.  When something interrupts their routine it can have a tremendous impact on daily functioning.  This is why every year I hear the same thing from parents, summertime again, now what do I do?  Read the rest of this entry →