One in five students with problems learning and paying attention are not formally identified as qualifying for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan. This is because they have not been identified as having a learning disability. These children risk...
Year: 2022
Do mental health disorders qualify for a 504 plan?
When you have a child with a mental health disorder, like depression, anxiety or another invisible or hidden disability, you may wonder, does my child qualify for 504 services at their school? You know your child is more than their diagnosis, but it is also...
How can a parent challenge an IEP?
Any parent with a mentally disabled child understands the meaning of this three-letter acronym: IEP. An IEP is an Individualized Education Plan. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a child with possible disabilities is eligible to be tested and...
What to do if your child is being bullied
Bullying remains a huge problem in most New York schools. Although bullying in schools is not a new problem, it is taken more seriously than in the past and it can take an incredible toll on your special needs child. As the parent of a special needs child, your child...
What is included in an IEP for a speech impairment?
As parents, we carefully track our child’s milestones, beginning from the time they are just babies. One of these milestones is babbling, which eventually leads to your child’s first words, and then moves on to speaking in sentences. So, if your child falls behind in...
What types of suspensions can be given to a New York student?
In New York, parents send their children to school so they can get an education. This education must be appropriate based on their needs and address any potential behavioral concerns or learning disabilities they might have. However, if something happens while the...
Your child’s IEP and your rights as a parent
As any parent can attest, keeping up with your child’s schoolwork can be challenging at times. Basic communication with teachers and administrators can help alleviate that, but for parents of children with special needs, this can be a more daunting task. While parents...
Citywide Behavioral Expectations to Support Student Learning
All too often our schools use suspensions for behavioral problems, especially with repeated issues. Unfortunately, such unthinking reactions do not help find the reason or address the underlying issues for the child. And, to that end, our Discipline Code, called the...
What if I do not agree with the school district’s evaluation?
Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a school district that identifies a child who potentially has a disability and needs special education first must evaluate the child. The point of the evaluation is to determine if, for purposes of federal...
Advocating for you and your special needs child
Having a child with special needs often means that parents require additional services to aid their child. No matter the form of disability, resources are available to children with special needs. When it comes to education, specific services are designed to make the...