Category: Special Education

Many of us as parents understand the desire for a miraculous fix to the challenges we face regarding our children’s education. We also understand there is no one miracle cure to what ails our educational system. The hope is that AI will revolutionize learning for our kids and create new ways of accessing learning that …

Neurological disorders, which affect the way the brain or nervous system functions, present with a unique set of symptoms and challenges that impact areas such as speech, mobility, vision, and behavior. It’s natural for parents’ anxiety to rise when faced with navigating and supporting your child through diagnosis, treatment options, and ensuring they’re not only …

Understanding your rights as a parent is vital to the IEP process. This includes your right to disagree. In an ideal world, parents and the school would be on the same page about a child’s assessments, educational placement, related services, accommodations, supports, and goals. While this is certainly possible, sometimes, no matter how great a …

What are IEP goals made of? Sugar, spice, and…everything nice? If only it was that easy, right? In reality, the goal-setting process of an IEP — while essential in prioritizing the skills our kids need to access the general education curriculum — can feel pretty complicated. As parents, our input is essential when it comes …

“Special education isn’t a place.” We can’t say this enough. Special education was never supposed to be a place. Or a classroom. Or a reason to discriminate. It consists of services and supports that allow children with disabilities to learn alongside their peers in a way that works for them. Inclusion is about learning and …

For most of us, IEPs are not a fun process. We might feel a lot of pressure, some intimidation, a fair amount of confusion, and possibly some mistrust. All of this stems from the reality that as bureaucratic as IEPs may feel, they are vitally important. Preparation is key to feeling a little less lost …

Finding the “right” educational path and placement for our kids can stir up a lot of emotions for some families. Where can my child thrive, learn, and be appreciated for who they are? How do I advocate for a placement that ACTUALLY meets my child’s needs? What exactly is a “specialized” private school? Where do …

The IEP assessment process, while crucial to creating more individualized IEPs, can often seem like a magnifying glass zooming in on our kids’ strengths and challenges (and everything in between). But assessments are one of the primary ways IEP teams can better understand the unique educational needs of kids with disabilities, and a thorough assessment …

Getting ready to send our kiddos off to preschool can feel both exciting and daunting. This is the time most of us first experience what it means to explore placement options, inclusion, and the great and powerful…IEP. As parents, we want to start our kids’ educational journey right, but navigating their first IEPs can often …

With IEP season in full swing, we’re setting our sights on strength-based IEPs and how to develop one using a whole-child, strengths-first approach. But what exactly is a strength-based IEP? Is it just another buzzword or do kids actually need one? (Yes, they do!) If you’ve sat through an IEP meeting before, or read through …