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

The term Least Restrictive Environment is thrown around a lot in special education but what does it really mean.

There is the legal definition which states:

“In General.  To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily” 20 U.S.C § 1412(a)(5)(A). Read the rest of this entry →

Special education is a highly regulated process with some stringent requirements of which most parents are not aware. Sadly, many educators are not aware of these requirements, either, and our institutions of higher learning don’t do the best job of communicating these requirements to credential program students, whether they are future teachers, administrators, or specialists.

Tying the science of educational psychology and related disciplines to the legal requirements of special education is a delicate art. There are plenty of people trained in the science of educating people with handicapping conditions and there are a fair number of attorneys who understand special education and related civil rights law, but there is little expertise in tying these two domains together. Read the rest of this entry →

When a dispute arises between a parent and the school in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting there are a few methods that can be utilized to work out the disagreement.  Most School Districts will have at least one Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) system in place that can be employed to work out the dispute.  IDR will look different in every school district but most likely it will involve a meeting or phone call with a District employee who was not at the original IEP meeting discussing the disagreement and trying to come to a successful resolution.  IDR is not mandatory and can be skipped if the parents want to exercise their rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) procedural safeguards which could include Mediation or Due Process. Read the rest of this entry →

Last night I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Marianne Russo, Founder, President and Host of The Coffee Klatch. The Coffee Klatch is an interactive forum on Blog Talk Radio and Twitter bringing you internationally renowned expert guests including award winning authors, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, advocates, celebrity activists and representatives from the world’s most respected children’s foundations.  I was lucky enough to be an invited guest.

The interview which lasted about 50 minutes covered topics ranging from Individualized Education Programs, Section 504, advocacy and my latest passion Special Education Advisor. The interview is presented below and I hope you enjoy it.

If you want to learn more about the Coffee Klatch visit their brand new updated website at www.theCoffeeKlatch.com

If you are in the Southern California area and want to hire an Advocate, visit my Advocacy business, Gold Standard Advocates, Inc. at www.theIEPAdvocates.com

You have just moved and went to register your child with an IEP at their new School, now what?  The good news is the new School District must continue to provide your child with a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) including services comparable to those described in the current IEP until a new IEP can be adopted.   It is important to note that “comparable” doesn’t mean exactly the same but only means that services should be similar.  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has slightly different procedures for Children who transfer School Districts dependent on whether they are moving within or out of State.  The exact language is listed below:  Read the rest of this entry →

The list of excuses below are some of the more common themes I hear every day from school districts who are trying to get out of testing a child for special education.  None of these or other excuses should be accepted by a parent who is trying to find answers for why their child can’t access the curriculum.  As a parent, trust your instincts, if you think there is a problem most likely there is. Read the rest of this entry →

I read the book “Outliers: The Story of Success” by Malcolm Gladwell about two years ago but it recently came back into my consciousness while I was thinking about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).  The description on the book cover says: 

“There is a story that is usually told about extremely successful people, a story that focuses on intelligence and ambition.  In Outliers Malcolm Gladwell argues that the true story of success is very different, and that if we want to understand how some people thrive, we should spend more time looking around them – at such things as their family, their birthplace, or even their birth date.  The story of success is more complex – and a lot more interesting – than it initially appears.  Read the rest of this entry →

It’s 2011 and some school districts are already back in session, it’s time to address your child’s academic struggles and find out why they are not doing well in school.  It is now second semester and before you know it, the school year will be over.  Remember, school districts do not conduct IEP’s during the summer and with all the budget cuts you might not be able to resolve any disputes until the next school year begins.  I’m bringing this up now because recently I’ve been told by some parents that they plan on opening an IEP for their child sometime this year.  I’m glad to hear it, however, there are few details you should be aware of before waiting too long to request an IEP.  Read the rest of this entry →

I need your help.  Phew, I said it, I feel much better now.  I’ve been staring at these Special Education Statistics below for an hour and I keep coming to the same conclusion.  You see, statistics are like men, they tell you whatever you want to hear.  The School Districts look at these statistics and tell you that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) must be working because there are very few Due Process filings each year.  Read the rest of this entry →

10.  A Lesson for All Parents Who Have Children with Special Needs

A good friend of mine sent me this video and said “you need to see this if you haven’t yet.” It’s a story about Carly Fleischmann, who at the time, was a 13 year old girl that had severe autism and was non-verbal. A couple of years ago, she started typing words on a computer. Carly had also been labeled with Moderate Mental Retardation. With the help of her parents and therapists, the computer became her voice. Read the rest of this entry →