This post explains how federal laws address bullying in schools, particularly when students with disabilities are involved. It outlines the responsibilities of schools under the Office for Civil Rights and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and guides parents on how to document incidents and seek remedies when a school fails to act.

“SAY IT IN CRAYON” means to put your thoughts in the simplest and easiest wording so that it can be readily and immediately understood by anyone.

Progress reports with descriptive statements such as “making progress” are anything but descriptive. They actually mask any form of measure and do not explain where your child is performing and certainly not when compared to where she was when the IEP was written.

The Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) process is helpful for any child whose behaviors may affect learning—theirs or their peers. It may include off task behaviors, disruptive behaviors, or even severe behaviors such as aggression.

Is the school refusing to evaluate or reevaluate your child for special education related services? Here is how to collect the data they need and a sample letter to make that request.

All IEP decisions require the use of data. Let us help you understand how to use the data in an IEP meeting.

Believe it or not, you can request parental training in support of your child’s IEP.

READ ON INTERNET AND IS SO WRONG: “I like GE and AEs for all test scores…scores for reading. Parents can understand GEs and AEs a lot better than it is for them to comprehend Scaled Scores, Standard Scores and Percentiles.”

He said, “READ THE SIGNS!”...what he actually implied was “CAN’T YOU READ?” (which might just be what he really said).

“Can anyone help me understand the significance of a "relative weakness" in word attack skills...I've read all the test manuals and literacy research, yet I still struggle..."

To my students,“More than anything, I’d like to understand how you learn. I would like to have the answers and solutions for you—for all of you.

Way back in the dark ages neither AT (1990) nor accommodations (1997) had seen the light of day in IDEA. In IDEA, AT can be found in Section 300.105 and under Section 300.324, a, (2) (consideration of special factors). In IDEA, the term “accommodations” is found in 300.160 (Participation in assessments). 

Everyone by now has received at least one progress report, but the question is: What did you learn from the report? Or, what do you know now that you did not know at the time the IEP was written?