IEP

Back to school with an IEP can bring extra questions for military families. These six tips can help parents prepare, get organized, and start the school year with confidence. As summer winds down, you may be settling back into the back-to-school routine. There’s a lot to think about: new teachers, schedules, and routines. If you recently PCSed, you may also be adjusting to a new home and school. As both a special education teacher and a parent of a child with an IEP, I unders

Parts of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) explained in this guide will help parents understand the legally required plan that outlines the special education services and supports their child will receive to make progress and access the general education curriculum. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires every IEP to meet your child’s unique learning needs. After a PCS or when changing schools/districts, you may notice that the IEP documents a

Back-to-school Individualized Education Program (IEP) preparation is best done before the start of the school year. With just a few weeks left of summer, now is the perfect time to set your child up for success. Use this time to review the IEP, organize important records, build executive functioning routines, and introduce your child to their new teachers. Here's how to get started. Assess Your Child’s IEP for Back-to-School IEP Preparation Take a long look at your child’s IE

Preventing an individualized education program (IEP) summer slide can be a challenge when school is out and specialized instruction pauses for the season.You can help your child maintain the growth they’ve made during the school year and avoid losing valuable progress on their IEP goals. Preventing IEP Summer Slide with Weekly Goal-Based Activities For those students who have qualified for Extended School Year (ESY) services, it can help students maintain growth between schoo

As the school year winds down, many of us, parents and teachers alike, are simply counting the days until summer. I recently overheard a teacher say, “Whatever I need to do to get to June 11th,” and I couldn’t help but relate. We’re all ready for the beach, fireworks, and a break from school routines. But before we fully check out, it’s important to tackle the most critical items on your IEP end-of-year checklist. Taking time now to review your students’ needs and prepare for

Related services have been crucial for my military family throughout the challenges of frequent moves. Under §300.34 of IDEA, services like speech therapy, school counseling, and occupational therapy from school personnel to community therapists have supported my son's continuity of care. How Related Services Have Helped My Family Related services have been part of my family’s life for over a decade through three permanent change of stations (PCSs). Each time we PCS, it cause

It’s February; before we know it, summer will be here. For military families, that may mean a PCS. Sound familiar? Even though that might be months away, it’s time to get prepared and talk about Special Education Procedural Safeguards and Subpart E of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004, a reauthorization of the IDEA. For military families, especially families who move frequently, it is important to understand that each state presents it

You may wonder why you're seeing an article discussing extended school year (ESY) services when we are only several months into the new school year. The answer is simple: It is never too early to start making your case for ESY services for your child. The earlier, the better. To effectively advocate for ESY services, it's essential to establish a strong foundation and develop a solid plan that will support your request. The first step in building the foundation is to familia

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” ― Yogi Berra, former New York Yankees catcher. With October just around the corner, my excitement for postseason baseball is building, especially since the Cleveland Guardians have recently clinched their playoff spot! As a baseball enthusiast, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to combine my two passions, baseball and special education. The quote from Yankees’ great Yogi Berra perfectly illustrates the

Let’s talk Kindergarten prep with IEPs. Kindergarten can be a difficult transition for learners, parents, and teachers. I’ve been there. Now that my learners are older, these are some things I wish I had known, considered, and remembered when the process began. Whether your learner has an IEP already or not, these tips can be beneficial. So, let’s talk about school and parent considerations and reminders to help you, your learner, and their team have a safe and successful sch

Georgia IEP Reevaluation: How a Policy Change Improved My Son's Special Education Services A few months into my son’s 3rd grade year at our new duty station in Georgia, his case manager notified me the district would reevaluate him. Because he was approaching his 9th birthday, he couldn’t retain the Developmental Disability (DD) category on his IEP. I feared the district aimed to find him ineligible for special education services. Truthfully, I braced for a battle. Instead of

If you live in Georgia, back-to-school has started. Kids return on August 1st, 5th, or 6th. In South Carolina, year-round students went back on July 29th. Other states, like Texas and Virginia, start on the 14th and 19th, respectively. Summer flew by, so let’s discuss 10 tips for starting the school year off right for a special education student. 1. Review the IEP Familiarize yourself with your child's IEP! This includes their current goals, accommodations, and special educat

Navigating special education from middle to high school can be daunting for parents and their learners. Your role as a parent is crucial in managing these transitions, potential service removals, and adjusting to an environment where students are expected to advocate for themselves. Let's discuss how you can effectively support your child in special education during these critical school years. Middle School and High School Bring Changes Middle and high school bring about sig

One of the biggest missed opportunities in special education is schools and parents not truly understanding what FAPE is, what it stands for, and how to ensure it is provided. So, what is FAPE per IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)? To receive federal funds, states must assure the U.S. Department of Education that they have policies and procedures to ensure that all children with disabilities receive a free, appropriate public education. Furthermore, child

This article will explore determining eligibility for a category, define the 13 categories according to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), and offer resources to answer questions about the categories or special education process. We will also provide key points to consider as you encounter a permanent change of station (PCS). Special Education Eligibility Once your child transitions to Part B of the IDEA or if the education team evaluates your child for special edu

Navigating military life is challenging, but for dual-military parents of special needs children, it can be a daunting journey filled with gaps and issues. As a single military parent of two special needs children, I have seen the emotional and educational turmoil caused by extended deployments and separation. Our story highlights the urgent need for legislative reform to ensure IEP portability across districts and states, providing consistent support. Advocating for standard

We understand the complexity and loneliness of navigating special education. Our new Special Education Military Family Parent Mentorship Program brings guidance, support, and a sense of belonging. It is designed to assist military families with children in special education.

Embark on a poignant educational journey with a military family in Colorado, navigating challenges from ADHD diagnoses to IEP meetings. Facing relocations and school transitions, they share struggles, delays in evaluations, and the quest for support. Discover their decision to move for better resources, shedding light on the importance of advocating for special education students.

Winter break is over, and the kids are headed back to school. While this can be a sigh of relief, if your kids eat twice as much as they do on a school day when they're on break, like my children do, it can also be stressful if your child is in Special Education. Four to five months of school left, and it's time to get back on top of their education. Here are some recommendations for preparing for the second half of the school year! Tips for the Second Half of the School Year

When introduced to the whirlwind of raising children with additional needs, parents often have to learn a different language to keep up. This language has an array of letters to help identify their neurodivergence – ASD, ADHD, ODD, OHI, CP, etc. Before having children, military life and our spouses formally introduce us to military jargon and an ever-expanding dictionary of acronyms. We encounter these languages within the vacuums of our lives – languages that our civilian fr