Eligibility Overview

I thought I'd share an overview of the initial special education eligibility process. When parents first explore getting resources to meet their child’s needs, it can be an overwhelming system to learn. (I know it was for me!) Below are two flowcharts that give a general idea about the initial process, whether it is initiated by a parent or the school.

This particular flowchart references the process and terminology as it is applied in the state of Pennsylvania. While various states and localities may have some variations of terminology or procedural application, the general process and concepts are consistent throughout the United States in K-12 education. http://www.mciu.org/Portals/0/MCIUDocuments/SPED/EI/Eval-IEP%20Process.pdf.

Many needs are accommodated through a 504 Plan without developing and Individual Education Plan (IEP). This flowchart shows an overview of this process, and illustrates some of the differences between establishing a 504 from an IEP.

~Barbara

How Much Of Your Child's IEP Meeting Do You Understand???

From our understanding, it is very common for parents and families to leave an IEP meeting feeling very confused and out of place. IEP stands for Individualized Education Plan, and this is just one of the countless abbreviations and terms that will be heard during a meeting concerning the well-being of your child. When your child is having difficulties in school and the IEP process has begun, it is important for parent to be familiar terms that are frequently used during IEP meetings. This site will provide you with the terms we feel will aid you the most in this process. It can be an overwhelming experience and we hope to assist you in your understanding. Happy Findings!!!

  “If you raise your children to feel that they can accomplish any goal or task they decide upon, you will have succeeded as a parent and you will have given your children the greatest of all blessings.” ~ Brian Tracy  

Top 3 Blog Finds

So I was trying to figure out exactly what I would like to share on our blog and decided to peruse existing special education blogs for ideas. I found that there are many wonderful blogs out there that provide very helpful information to parents and teachers of children with special needs. So I decided to share my top 3 findings. My absolute favorite finding is “The Comfort Wall” found at http://www.understandingspecialeducation.com/. “The Comfort Wall” is a place for parents of children with special needs to post their thoughts, feelings, experiences, etc. as a means to provide support to others. Reading these posts was uplifting and eye-opening as these parents provide a perspective that only those who are raising children with special needs can understand. In addition to “The Comfort Wall,” this blog shares a lot of helpful special education information including information on the IEP Process, special education terms, special education law, and parent support.

My second finding is “Memorable Moments,” posted by Michelle, a special education teacher, who has created a blog found at http://michellespecialeducation.blogspot.com/. Michelle shares her top 10 memorable moments from her experiences teaching children receiving special education, providing a light-hearted glimpse into her and her children’s worlds. The overall purpose of Michelle’s blog is to provide a place for parents and teachers of children with special needs to find positive strategies that promote social, emotional, and academic growth. Her blog also includes games for children that help them build their social skills, math skills, mouse skills, visual perception skills, social studies skills, science skills, and literacy skills. It also provides tips, strategies, and resource links for parents and teachers.

My third finding is the “Top 40 Special Education blogs,” found at www.onlinedegrees.org/top-40-special-education-blogs/. Just as its title states, this blog lists its top 40 special education blogs, with a description of what each blog offers. It’s a wonderful resource for parents, teachers, and anyone seeking guidance on special education topics ranging from autism, special education law, speech and language, advocacy, etc. It’s basically a directory of special education blogs—a great time-saver as opposed to blindly searching the internet.

~Joanna