504 Plans certainly have their place in our education system. After all, they guarantee access to a student's education, even when a disability may be prohibiting access. What's unfortunate is that I see too many 504 Plans being handed out to pacify parents and avoid IEP evaluations. Or, when a 504 plan is warranted, it's| A Day in our Shoes
How do I know if the IEP is working? Your child getting an IEP is not the final step in your IEP journey. It is only the start. It is essential for parents to stay engaged all year round. Now that the supports and services have been put in place, how can you keep your| A Day in our Shoes
Really, you do. Enough already. {And please don't comment without reading the article}| A Day in our Shoes
Are you trying to get an IEP for autism, anxiety or ADHD? It doesn't matter, the process is the same. It's kinda weird that I have 100s of articles about IEPs, and I've never done a post on how to request an IEP. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in IEP issues and helping parents| A Day in our Shoes
Before I get to the steps of how to get a 504 plan for your child, I feel the need to get on my soapbox for a moment. Because schools have gone astray, in my opinion, as far as providing 504 plans. Ok, so here goes. 504 Education Plans and IEPs often get lumped together| A Day in our Shoes
The special education system is rigged against parents. It's not your imagination. It is not an even playing field. Lately, I've been feeling very deflated. I have written to several people I know in this field to reach out for help, reach out for ideas. Anyone who knows me, you know, I really try to| A Day in our Shoes
If you’ve been hearing the term 504 plan and wondering what it is, how it works, or if your child might need one, you’re not alone. A 504 plan is one of the most misunderstood tools in education. Has your child been recently offered a 504 plan, or you've been told that they need one?| A Day in our Shoes
One of the most frustrating parts of my job as an advocate is knowing or remembering the little detaily things about special education laws for the various states. I actually live in the little corner of Pennsylvania where it meets both Delaware and Maryland. I could walk to both state borders if I had to| A Day in our Shoes
Over the years, I cannot even count how many times I've been asked if I have a FAPE checklist on the site. Now, I can finally answer with a 'Yes!' With input from teachers, advocates, parents and even a few school admins who I had look over this, this free FAPE compliance checklist is a| A Day in our Shoes
Inside: Learn the IDEA wording about scheduling IEP meetings and parental participation. Whew, can we please put this issue to bed, once and for all? Because I have had it up to here (I'm pointing to my forehead, lol) with schools telling parents that 'we only have IEP meetings at 7 or 2.' Or something| A Day in our Shoes
You met, you documented, you collected data and have an IEP that you feel hopeful about. Then, it's not being followed. It's a common parent complaint. Your school, teacher or IEP team is not following the IEP. In non-compliance. Whatever the reason, your IEP is not being followed. Here are some steps that you can take| A Day in our Shoes
Wow! What a discussion we had about Executive Functioning today! What is Executive Functioning, or what are Executive Functioning Skills? I'm so glad you asked because they are the foundation for most learning tasks. Even if you do not have time today, I am urging you to come back and watch the video at some| A Day in our Shoes
Neuropsych Evaluations If your child has an IEP, and you've been immersed in the world of special education, at some point you have probably heard| A Day in our Shoes
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| A Day in our Shoes
I find that 'IEP Stay Put' or 'pendency' is one of the most misunderstood concepts of the IEP process. Many parents ask me to send| A Day in our Shoes
If your school district does not give your child the special education services they are supposed to, you may be able to get what is| A Day in our Shoes
IEP Unilateral Placements One of the greatest IDEA misunderstandings among parents is the concept of Unilateral Placements. There is a lot of misinformation about them,| A Day in our Shoes
You think your child needs an IEP. The school offered a 504, RTII or MTSS. So, what's the difference, and what are your options? Next| A Day in our Shoes
Confused about 504 Plans and IEPs? Discover the key differences and similarities between these education plans to find the best support for your child.| A Day in our Shoes
Uncovering the Two Types of IEP Violations: Are Your Child's Rights Being Upheld?| A Day in our Shoes
Many parents, as they learn the IEP process, begin to understand that IDEA is the main law that defines IEPs and special education. Of course,| A Day in our Shoes
I never realized how much misinformation there is surrounding asking for an IEP meeting. Who can request an IEP meeting? How do you request an| A Day in our Shoes
As a result of having this website, I have come into contact with thousands of IEP parents. And, at least once a month, I answer| A Day in our Shoes
Mediation, meee--deee-aayyy-shun! I'm singing that in the Cat in the Hat tune. Have you seen that episode where he sings about hibernation? Well, that's what| A Day in our Shoes
If your child has an IEP, you undoubtedly are surrounded by special education acronyms all the time. One of the more frequently used acronyms is| A Day in our Shoes
14 Categories of Disabilities in IDEA There are 14 categories of disabilities listed in IDEA. Autism Deaf-blindness Deafness Developmental delay (DD) Emotional disturbance (ED) Hearing| A Day in our Shoes
What to do if you are denied an IEP because 'his grades are fine!'| A Day in our Shoes
Nothing aggravates me more as an advocate than when a parents asks about their IEP parents rights? When you ask me that, I know that| A Day in our Shoes
Ok, so here we go. I used to have IEP reevaluation information in my post about IEP evaluations. But, I've since decided that IEP re-evaluations| A Day in our Shoes
Can you Win a Due Process Hearing without a lawyer? We'd do anything for our kids. Anything. And since some of us have been dealt| A Day in our Shoes
IEP Attorney For many families, there comes a time in your IEP journey that you and the school reach an impasse. You've gone back and| A Day in our Shoes
Refused IEP Evaluations Let me be blunt. If your child's IEP evaluations suck, the rest of your IEP will be garbage. Without good evaluations, the| A Day in our Shoes
Inside: Private schools can provide special education but are not required to provide FAPE. It gets complicated, so read on to fully understand your rights| A Day in our Shoes
I'm a self-professed weirdo, but I just love NOREPs. Love love love them. Early on when I first became an advocate, I only worked in| A Day in our Shoes
How many times have you heard phrases like these, at IEP meetings, when you've suggested something? I don't think he/she needs that. Why don't we| A Day in our Shoes
I remember I was working with this client one time. We had held an IEP meeting, and we were wrapping up a few loose ends.| A Day in our Shoes
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,| A Day in our Shoes
Sometimes I encounter a passionate-yet-uninformed parent who exclaims, 'I'm just going to sue the school!' Well, it doesn't really work that way and you can't| A Day in our Shoes
'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| A Day in our Shoes
What to know about getting a 1:1 aide or para on your child's IEP. From what qualifies a child for a 1:1 aide to getting| A Day in our Shoes
Inside: When you hate having an IEP it can be tough to stay positive. Here are tips for staying positive, even when dealing with unprofessional| A Day in our Shoes
Inside: It's best practice, but not required, to have an IEP Meeting Agenda. Here are some samples and templates for IEP Meeting Agendas for you| A Day in our Shoes
Inside: How long does the school have to respond to an IEP meeting request? And, what are the guidelines for an emergency IEP meeting? All| A Day in our Shoes
Inside: After the IEP meeting, here is what to expect. Including the after IEP meeting email, and when you should receive the final IEP. It| A Day in our Shoes
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| A Day in our Shoes
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive| A Day in our Shoes
You will definitely want to bookmark or pin this post. I have often said that one of the biggest IEP mistakes that parents make is| A Day in our Shoes
IEE stands for Independent Education Evaluation. It is a provision of IDEA, listed in the Parents' Rights Booklet, or Procedural Safeguards. This will explain what| A Day in our Shoes