When your IEP Meeting is Tomorrow This was in an email I opened this morning: “Hi! I have my IEP meeting later today, please send me any advice you have that you think might be helpful. Thanks.” Now, this is not an unusual email. Actually, several times a week, either via email or in our […]
IEP Advice for Parents | Disability Resources | Special Education Advocacy | Mom Stuff
IEP Advice for Parents
How to Know if you are Ready for your IEP Meeting. (free printable checklist!)
Am I ready for my IEP Meeting? As an advocate, I have attended literally hundreds of IEP meetings. I know you, Moms. You’re stressed and anxious. But attending all those IEP meetings has also given me a tremendous view of all kinds of people and meetings and ways to prepare. If you hire a Special […]
I asked for an IEP and was offered a 504/RTI instead.
I asked for an IEP and was offered a 504/RTI instead. I have lots of friends who are teachers. One of the many reasons that I am such a huge teacher advocate is because of the stories I hear from them. They do want to help you and your child. But often cannot stick their […]
Disability Resources | Special Education Advocacy
7 Measurable IEP Goals for Writing Skills
Measurable IEP Goals to Address Writing Skills Parents can certainly assist the IEP team with developing goals. One IEP area that I find parents and teachers struggle is to address the skill of writing. And by writing, I’m talking about content, not handwriting. If your child struggles with the actual task of handwriting, I would […]
Social Skills~20 IEP Goals | Social Thinking | Strategies
Social Skills IEP Goals Kevin doesn’t have any friends. That’s hard for me to say out loud. He’s 11. He’s never been invited to a sleepover, never invited to a birthday party on his own accord or invited to come over and play at someone’s house. My kids don’t have school today and Brian asked […]
The Ultimate IEP Goal Bank~1000s of Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives.
IEP Goals and Objectives Bank A well written IEP goal is essential to the IEP and special education. How can you monitor progress if you don’t know what you are aiming at? This is another post being done by popular request. So often I get asked, “Can you put together an IEP goal bank?” The […]
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{Washington, DC with Kids} 5 Travel Secrets to have your best trip ever!
Washington, DC with Kids I love Washington, DC. I am fortunate to live close enough to do it as a day trip (albeit a long day!) if I want to. But I prefer to stay overnight if we can. There is so much to do and see there. Now having taken my kids down there […]
These 6 Principles of IDEA must be applied at every IEP meeting.
6 Principles of Special Education I have to open this post with a shout out to blog reader Mike T. He emailed me, as a link to this post and the printable was gone. I searched and searched and sure enough, he was right. So, starting over. Because the 6 Principles of IDEA and Special […]
{IEP Manifestation Determination} 10 Practical Parent Tips.
Manifestation Determination “Help! The principal called and I have to go to a Manifestation Determination hearing….what do I do?” That’s a question I hear often, and while I have done posts on dealing with suspensions and discipline, I have never actually done one on Manifestation Hearings. So, here goes… Parents, first calm down. That’s […]
How To Write Your Best-Ever Parent Concerns Letter for your IEP.
Parent Concerns Letter for your IEP Meeting I’m going to wag my finger at you–from this day forward, you do a Parent Concerns Letter for your IEP. Every.single.time. No more “Well I didn’t know…” or “I didn’t think I had to do one each time…” Now you know. Do one. This is one of the […]
Should you represent yourself in Due Process? 6 Tips from a Hearing Officer.
Should you go to Due Process without a lawyer? We’d do anything for our kids. Anything. And since some of us have been dealt a less than a favorable hand, that can mean doing battle with your school district over what type of education your child receives. And sometimes that battle leaves us no other […]
10 Ways to Turn Clutter into Cash.
Turn Clutter into Cash Thanks to Marie Kondo and the minimalism trend, decluttering is all the rage right now. I know that I am going to my local Goodwill store at least once a week. And not to shop! I also have a huge bin of the boys’ stuff tagged and ready to hit a […]