Learn all about extended school year, who qualifies, and other options for children with learning needs. This is your crash course in ESY for parents!
Feel Like the School Is Being a Bully? They Might Be!
Does it feel like your child’s school is being a bully at IEP or 504 Plan meetings? They just might be! Learn how to refocus the conversation and advocate for your child.
Why Is Getting an IEP So Darn Hard?
Feel like your child is struggling and not getting anywhere – despite supports from the school? Learn how requesting IEP testing can help!
Here’s Exactly What Accommodations and Modification to Ask For at Your IEP or 504 Plan Meeting
Make your next IEP or 504 Plan meeting a breeze with this giant list of easy accommodations and modifications! This list is perfect for busy parents and teachers.
Are You Ready? Use These Tips To Prep Now For Your IEP Meeting
Before you even walk through the doors for the IEP meeting, you’re sweating. Yes, even if it’s actually cold outside right now. You’re nervous because today will decide the path for your child’s next year in school. What waits inside is anyone’s best guess. The school’s team has had months to prepare, to gather data, […]
You’re On The Special Education Journey…Now What?
Conferences were rough. You had done your mid-quarter check-in, so you kind of knew what was coming. But man it was hard to hear said out loud. Where do you go from here? It can all be so overwhelming, and that’s just the acronyms! Learn how to navigate this brand new world with confidence and […]
Do You Need Something Extra? Use These Pro Tips To Get Testing Done
What happens when you’ve tried everything, but nothing has helped? Maybe your child is falling farther and farther behind. All the tutoring and in-school extra attention just isn’t working. Or perhaps your child feels bored in class like they’ve already covered the material or just finish so much faster. Even the in-class enrichments just aren’t […]
Get Ready for Your IEP Meeting!
IEP meetings are super stressful, and full of more jargon than the Marine Corps. I’ve been in my fair share of these meetings, and I can tell you that parents who are prepared get what they want more often. Get the best for your child, with a few easy tips to get ready for your […]
Modifications and Accommodations: What's the Difference?
There are a lot of words that get thrown around in the special education world. Two of the most frequently used, and least understood, are modifications and accommodations. Every child on an IEP has both of these. Every child on a 504 plan has one of these. Actually, teachers make adjustments for every child in […]
IEP vs 504 Plan? What's the difference?
So, your child has been referred for special education. Suddenly you are dumped into a world of acronyms and forms and legal jargon. It can be overwhelming. This month, let’s break it down. We’ll start with a basic, and common, question. IEP vs 504 Plan? What’s the difference?
10 Easy Special Ed Tweaks for the Gen Ed Classroom
Learn how to adapt your classroom to meet the needs of ALL learners with 10 easy special ed tweaks for the gen ed classroom!
What the Core gets wrong: Special Education
Last time, I laid out my thoughts on CCSS instructional materials. This time: Special Education The basics of the special education guidance for CCSS is ok, at face value. It stressed the additional supports available to students, assistive technology, and flexible teaching methods. This all sounds pretty great, right? Then I read this: An Individualized Education […]
Bringing Education Strategies into the Home
Yesterday was a day in our house. It was a day full of butting heads, tantrums, meltdowns, and unrest. At the end of the day, I looked back over what we had accomplished, and found one key element lacking: predictability. My munchkin is at an age when she can understand first A, then B. But […]
Ummmm…What?!?!?!?!? How do I get an IEP, Parents Mag?
So, I take education seriously. And I take it thismuchmore seriously for children with special needs, the children who’s parents need accurate information about the legal hoops they’re required to jump through. And then I read this in Parents Magazine: “If you think your child needs more help than she’s getting in school, you can inquire about having […]