IEP Moms “Mrs. Lightner, we’ll add the additional hour of OT to Kevin’s plan, but I want you to know that he is the only child in the county who is receiving more than one hour per week. That’s just not our model.” YES! Success! I did it! My son was only 2 years old,…
Now that quarantine is over, many school districts are still providing many evaluations and support virtually. Here’s what parents need to know.
Can the School Remove Supports and Services from the IEP? This is probably the number one reason that parents dread IEP meetings. Right? For the most part, we expect to be told “No” when we ask for something to be added, even if we have the data. But the school removing items…yikes! It’s a major…
How to tell when you have a crappy IEP. I’ve attended more IEP meetings than I can count. Or even care to count. I get it–parents only call in a Special Education Advocate when there’s trouble. If you were happy with things, you wouldn’t need help, right? But what that means is that as an…
Getting Started in the World of IEPs IEP stands for Individual Education Plan. It is just what it says. Children with disabilities are entitled to a “free and appropriate education” but what that looks like for each child is Individual. The concept of Special Education has only been around at the national level since 1975….
Important items that must be on your child’s IEP. “I got a call to pick up my daughter today because she put a child in a choke hold.” And of course this child with an IEP was on her way to a suspension. That’s what one of our group members posted recently. Sounds awful, right?…
When does an IEP end? When does an IEP end? How do you end an IEP? What is the IEP age range?I know what you’re thinking. “21!” is what you want to yell out. And that’s what I thought. Then a friend asked me about this. She is a knowledgeable and well-respected advocate. And I…
IEP Cover Page Imagine for a moment that you are a teacher and it’s the first day of class. Every child is wearing a baseball cap. On the front of each hat is a phrase or two, such as: “has a lisp,” “allergic to peanuts,” “loves to read,” and you see one that says, “emotionally…
Homebound Placement during the Pandemic Normally, I’m against homebound IEP placement for most students. After all, it is one of the most restrictive placement options. And, it often gets used and abused and IEP students are placed in this “no man’s land” and fall off the radar and get greatly reduced services. But, these are…
Special Education Procedural Safeguards Ok, finger-wagging time. Because I know that a very large percentage of parents are not reading your IEP Procedural Safeguards. I can tell by the questions you ask. Because many of the questions I am asked to answer (as an advocate) are very easily answered by looking at Procedural Safeguards. I’ve included…
IEP Parent Participation This is a concept that I really need parents to grab on to and internalize. I hope that this brings you that “a-ha!” moment in IEPs. Because I get the feeling that many parents do not fully grasp the enormous responsibility of parent participation in the IEP process. Because parents are the…
Special Factors in the IEP Most of the questions that we receive as educational advocates are about the implementation of the IEP. Let’s face it. It is not an easy document to understand at times because of it’s length and format. But there are the special factors on an IEP that you should be considering…
How to get an IEP. Gather your thoughts about your child and their struggles at school. Decide if meeting with the teacher is appropriate to discuss these concerns. Formalize those concerns into a letter to the school. Write a letter to your school (teacher and principal) asking that your child be evaluated for Special Education…
Can an IEP be removed? One of the, ahem, benefits of this job is that I get to talk to all kinds of parents. That being said, parents generally only contact me when things aren’t going so well. After all, if your child is happy, making great progress and doing well in school, why would…
Wanna hear the Worst IEP Advice? The worst IEP advice I’ve ever heard: “Make sure you cry at the IEP meeting, it shows them how passionate you are about your child!” I still cringe when I think about it. Please tell me who feels confident when they are crying? Especially if you have an ugly…
My school is not following the IEP! It’s a common parent complaint. Your school, teacher or IEP team is not following the IEP. In non-compliance. Here are some steps that you can take and I’ve sort of listed them in order of how you should proceed, though some may overlap. (Note: For the purposes of this…
IEPs and E-Mail Email. How did we live without it? IEPs are relatively new, not even 50 years old. Obviously, e-mail is even newer. And, as technology changes, IEP practice and regulations has to change too. The last time IDEA was reauthorized what 2004, so even that is a long time in the age of…
IEP Homebound Wow. So I have to do a post on homebound. Granted, I guess at some point, there will be a blog post about every aspect of IEPs. But I try to follow trends and recurring questions in the Facebook group. And IEP homebound keeps coming up again and again. And that bothers me,…
IEP Placement: Private and Out-of-District Ahhh…you’re finally there. After months (maybe years!) of IEP meetings, you and your school district have agreed that your child needs a private placement. Success! Finally, no more stagnating, no more regression. Your child will finally be in a more appropriate placement. And then, you get the sucker punch. It…
Prior Written Notice-PWN How many times have you heard phrases like these, at IEP meetings, when you’ve suggested something? “I don’t get it…I did everything you said, the school still said no.” Sound familiar? Despite your best efforts and taking recommendations from other parents or advocates, you’re still being told no. What if I told…
Developmental Delay It’s weird, right? Your child has had an IEP for years, and his disability classification has always been Developmental Delays. Now, all of a sudden you feel blindsided because the school is telling you that they cannot check that box anymore. But your child is still disabled and has many delays. This can’t…