Have you ever: Been in an IEP meeting where it feels like the district’s team is talking at you? Received a thick pile of reports during an IEP meeting? Found information in those reports that surprises you? Had district or…
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Although IEP baselines are critical, they are often overlooked in IEP writing. SMART is a well-known acronym that represents the aspects of a well-written goal: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic/relevant, and time-based. However, some districts still write goals that cause us…
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We often hear from parents who are planning to call an “Emergency IEP.” Usually, this means there are urgent reasons to update their child’s IEP or a crisis that necessitates holding an IEP team meeting NOW! Regardless of either of…
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We hear some interesting things in our work, and by interesting, we mean not true. Often, these statements are offered with great sincerity and make us stop and wonder, “Did they really say that?” The following statements are things that…
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Extended School Year (ESY), or special education services beyond the usual school year, came about because of IDEA. Students who have IEPs or who qualify under Section 504 have to be considered for ESY services. For this blog post, we will…
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When I started my special education journey with my son, I thought that having an annual IEP meeting was all it took to create a good document. I quickly realized that that was not the case. I learned that an…
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A “hack” is an unusually creative solution to a programming problem or limitation. As you gain experience in a particular field, you learn new hacks that enable you to operate more effectively in that field. Here are three IEP hacks…
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When a school doesn’t implement your child’s individualized education plan (IEP), your parental role changes. Being a parent is rarely easy, but sometimes things run smoothly and you can almost relax. Your child’s education goes just as it should: the student…
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Parenting can be hard work All parents face occasional burnout. The hours are long, with frequent occasions to continue to work on the virtue of patience. Case Managing Having a child with a disability and acting as their IEP case…
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Special Ed Advocate Guidelines San Jose. There are many IEP areas where an advocate can help. Sometimes it is right away, and other times it is part of a process