My child has autism; why don’t they qualify for an IEP? There is a difference between a medical diagnosis and an educational diagnosis , and the educational diagnosis is what is required eligibility for special education services. In many cases,…
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If you suspect your child may have a disability, requesting assessment to get your child into special education is the first step. Your written request is supposed to cause your child’s school district to assess your child in all suspected…
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When does a student qualify for remedial and special education? How do I go about finding out whether they qualify? Start by making a list of where your child is struggling in school. This can include: not being able to…
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If you are brand new to the world of special education, IEPs, and 504s, then you may not be familiar with the term “due process” as it relates to special education. We have all heard it on cop/courtroom shows on…
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As advocates, we are often in IEP team meetings where the subject of an IEP Goal Bank comes up. This is after the team has completed presenting and discussing the assessments, we have all looked at progress on last year’s…
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When determining where a student with an IEP will mainstreaming in special education, IEPs teams are required to start with the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). Teams need to consider all placement options for each student with an IEP, and discuss…
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In order to qualify for an IEP, one must meet Federal Disability criteria listed under IDEA (the federal disability law named Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). The States may then add on their own criteria—and eligibility criteria under state law…
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As advocates, our clients sometimes ask us, “Can I record an IEP?” We always strongly recommend our clients record IEP team meetings. Many families are concerned that their child’s school will interpret this as adversarial. We get it, but record…
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For even highly-trained professionals, assumptions in special education are a difficult pitfall to avoid. Even parents of children who have well-written IEPs may eventually come across an IEP team meeting where assumptions about supports and services are made. Sometimes this…
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When we talk about long-term special education plans, we’re talking about looking into the next three to five years of your child’s life. While we may not know which members of your school district’s IEP team may still be present,…
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