Posted by Advocate on March 5th, 2009 in General
GOING TO YOUR FIRST IEP? What you should know.
HAS THE SCHOOL TOLD YOU THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO EVALUATE YOUR CHILD FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION? What you should know.
IS YOUR CHILD IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT THEY SHOULD BE RECIEVING? What you should know.
As advocates, we have dealt with all types of disabilities, in all manner of educational settings, and with parents just like you……..we can answer your questions, help you find resources, and advocate for the appropriate education for your child. Whether you have a child with ADHD or Autism, or mild to severe learning disabilities, we have a wealth of knowledge to help you navigate the paperwork, meetings, and subsequent accommodations.
CONTACT US FOR YOUR 1/2 HOUR FREE PHONE CONSULTATION
WE HAVE THE ANSWERS TO ALL YOUR QUESTIONS & WE HOPE TO MAKE YOUR CHILD’S SPECIAL EDUCATION JOURNEY BENEFICIAL.
Contact K12Advocates at our Blog Site and please leave a phone number or email where we can contact you.
Thank you for your time, K12Advocates
Posted by bev on January 19th, 2009 in Special Education
Hi Parents!
While we excitedly await the many changes that will be occurring in Washington, and changes in our daily lives, we need to remain ever-diligent about how those changes will affect our special needs children and the fulfillment of our child’s IEP in the school.
The election brought many changes and among those was the lack of mill-levy funding to many schools throughout the nation. This will mean inevitable cutbacks on staff and services within the districts, and unfortunately, some of those cuts will happen in many Special Education departments. Many teachers will be forced to add more students to their contact sheets and classrooms, not only regular education kids but special education kids that require services. Some services may be provided by personnel that are not highly trained or qualified, in an effort to cut back on higher paid specialists.
Now is the time for parents to be more aware of what is happening in your child’s school.
- Make sure you request an IEP team meeting to refresh and ensure that all your child’s needs are provided and who is providing those services.
- Hold the school accountable for providing the highest quality goals for your child, not matter what the cost.
- Help the school with creative ways to fund your child’s needs…..maybe an out-sourced provider or specialist that could provide the same services at a reduced rate for the school.
You must do the best you can to monitor the situation and the services that your child is receiving.
- Visit the school and sit in on class to observe the activities, and be sure to have a lunch-date with your child occasionally. This is a great time to observe the surroundings.
- Make sure that you know each providers’ name, email and phone number and give them your contact information.
- Ask them if there is anything you can do to insure that your child is receiving all the services on the IEP. This is also a good way to make sure that the teacher knows what your child should be receiving.
- Stay aware of what is happening in your child’s school and always keep the lines of communication open with teachers and other parents. They are your best source of information.
If you feel that your child is not thriving or achieving as expected, don’t wait for the next IEP meeting. You have the right to request a meeting at any time. Follow protocol and send your request to the Sepcial Education teacher and the Principle in writing.
Don’t hesitate to ask a friend, family member or doctor to attend with you if you don’t want to go alone.
Be diligent in this time of sacrifice and cutbacks and protect the rights of your child’s IEP.
Posted by bev on January 9th, 2009 in Autism
USAAA is a leading nonprofit organization for education, support, and solutions. Our goal is to “Provide the Opportunity” for individuals with autism spectrum disorders to achieve their fullest potential.
Contact USAAA for more information and articles.
Posted by bev on January 5th, 2009 in Autism
Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) is an autism education and support group.
We focus on parent information and support, parent mentoring, dietary intervention, the latest in medical research, special education law, reviews of the latest treatments, and many other topics relating to autism. Our main goal is to build our community so we can connect, share and support each other.
Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) provides general information of interest to the autism community. The information comes from a variety of sources and TACA does not independently verify any of it. The views expressed herein are not necessarily TACA’s.
Posted by bev on January 1st, 2009 in Autism
Autism Strains Families’ Pocketbooks, Emotions
Nancy Shute, US News & World Report
Having a child with autism can be a huge financial strain, with 52 percent of parents saying the family’s finances are drained. Three quarters of parents of children with autism worry that their child won’t ever get a job or won’t have enough money to get by after the parents die.
|
Three quarters of parents of children with autism worry that their child won’t ever get a job or won’t have enough money to get by after the parents die.
|
These sad numbers come from a new survey of 1,652 parents of children with autism up to age 30, as well as 917 parents with typically developing children. The survey was conducted by Easter Seals.
“Normal” families weren’t nearly as stressed financially—just 13 percent of typical parents said child-rearing was draining their family’s resources, and 18 percent said they worry about who will provide for their children after they die.
Easter Seals will be holding workshops around the country at which parents can learn how to make that happen. It’s time for those parents to hear that they can dream those dreams, too.
|
Having a special needs child pretty much guarantees financial stress, whether it stems from paying for therapy that insurance doesn’t cover or from quitting work to provide care and drive children to therapy. “But every time we look at autism versus other disabilities, the disparity is greater,” says Patricia Wright, national director of autism services for Easter Seals, a Chicago-based organization that provides services for people with disabilities. She came by U.S. News’s offices today to talk about why autism feels different than other disabilities.
Click here for entire article.
Posted by bev on December 11th, 2008 in Behavior Intervention
Behavioral interventions come to the rescue to provide cost-effective assistance for parents of troubled adolescents. Perhaps your child is suffering from a lack of concentration or is exhibiting inappropriate behavior, as young as pre-school age. Or maybe a recent divorce, move or other event is affecting your child adversely. In the most serious cases, teens turn to drugs, alcohol, sex or violence to compensate for emotions they’re lacking. The best way to remedy the situation is to get help early, utilize all resources and have a family intervention to ensure a strong support system.
Often, children who need a behavioral […] Continue Reading…
Posted by Advocate on November 19th, 2008 in Autism
Today, there are many organizations geared towards raising autism awareness. Two of the organizations that do their part to raise the awareness level for autistic spectrum disorders are The Autism Society of America and Autism Speaks. These are the two most popular organizations focused on helping individuals who have autism. These organizations work to raise money for research by hosting benefits and walks, among other programs. The more that is known about these disorders, the higher the likelihood of more breakthroughs in treatments.
The Autism Society of America, or ASA, began in 1965 by founder Bernard Rimland, Phd. The ASA […] Continue Reading…
Posted by Advocate on November 19th, 2008 in Autism
Individuals who suffer from a disorder that causes impaired social behaviors, slow repetitive patterns and decreased motor abilities are normally diagnosed as having Asperger syndrome or AS. This disorder shares many of the same symptoms as high functioning autism and is in the autism spectrum of disorders, making it difficult to diagnose. While they are similar, they do have their differences and at times are treated differently. Also, those individuals with AS differ from autism patients in that there are normally no language skill delays.
Hans Asperger, an Austrian pediatrician, was the first to pinpoint the disorder in 1944, when […] Continue Reading…
Posted by Advocate on October 9th, 2008 in Education, General, Parenting
HI Parents! As I was clearing out old emails this week, I ran across a story by Anna Quindlen that one of my co-workers sent to me many years ago. I thought all the Moms, and even the Dads, would enjoy this story. Thanks for reading, Bev
“If not for the photographs, I might have a hard time believing they ever existed. The pensive infant with the swipe of dark bangs and the black-button eyes of a Raggedy Andy doll. The placid baby with the lower lip that curled into an apostrophe above the chin.
All my babies are gone now. […] Continue Reading…
Posted by Advocate on September 28th, 2008 in Advocacy, General
School is back in session and your kiddo is already having difficulties.
Are they behind in Math or Reading? Perhaps they are struggling with peer relations or following teacher directions? Maybe the IEP needs to be reviewed?
Or you feel there is a problem, but you just don’t know what it is. You know you need to do something……but you don’t know what.
We have the answer!
A FREE 1/2 HOUR ADVOCACY CONSULTATION
Schedule your consultation by visiting our website K12Advocates.com and go to the “CONTACT US” tab and send us an email with your name, phone number & best times to […] Continue Reading…
