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
Really, you do. Enough already. {And please don't comment without reading the article}| A Day in our Shoes
It wasn’t just Meijer. When news broke about a disabled Meijer employee being arrested for eating fruit cups out of the trash, many people were shocked. But for those in the disability community? It felt all too familiar. From fast food chains to tech giants, major companies across the U.S. have faced serious allegations—and lawsuits—over| 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
I got two inquiries recently that are very similar. Both parents asked for something on their child's IEP and were told, 'We don't do that here. It happens often. Can a school say that? Can they deny a service based on 'we don't offer that here?' You've heard it before, right? Short answer, no. So| 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
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
I know, we complain too much. What can I say, it's a complaints-based system. One of the remedies that parents have in special education is| A Day in our Shoes
Uncovering the Two Types of IEP Violations: Are Your Child's Rights Being Upheld?| 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
Ah, progress monitoring. I find it to be one of the most difficult areas of the IEP, as it pertains to parents. First, the data| A Day in our Shoes
Different variations of questions come up about IEP evaluations all the time. Parents are unclear about timelines, what tests to ask for and sometimes get| 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