A Brief Overview Full Article Holidays can be challenging for families impacted by disability, trauma, grief, economic struggles, and other stressors. The holiday season has its own flavors of confusion. Families with children who struggle with behavior may want to head into the winter with plans in place. Anticipating where trouble could bubble up and Read More
A Brief Overview Full Article Everyone has moments when they hear something and pause to wonder, Is that true? Parents/caregivers in meetings with their child’s school can feel particularly confused when something doesn’t sound right. They might wonder whether it’s appropriate to question school authorities. They might not understand all the words being spoken. Fear Read More
A Brief Overview Full Article Behavior is a form of communication, and children often try to express their needs and wants more through behavior than words. When a young person has a disability or has experienced trauma or other distress, adults and authorities may need to put in extra effort to understand. Missed cues and Read More
A Brief Overview Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a strategy schools use to teach children expected behavior. Read on for PBIS strategies families can use at home. A key PBIS principle is that punishment fails to teach what to do instead. Adults can direct children and youth toward better choices and interrupt escalation Read More
A Brief Overview Alarming statistics indicate the pandemic worsened many behavioral health outcomes for young people. Governor Jay Inslee on March 14, 2021, issued an emergency proclamation declaring children’s mental health to be in crisis. President Joe Biden issued a Fact Sheet about the nation’s mental health crisis on March 1, 2022, as part of his State Read More
When a student’s behavior gets in the way of their learning and/or the learning of others, the school is responsible to figure out how to support behavioral expectations. One way to do that is to assess why the student might be acting out and use that information to consider how positive behavioral interventions might teach Read More
Brief Overview The National Education Association (NEA) recognizes that childhood experiences related to domestic abuse, trauma or divorce affect education. This article includes recommendations for teachers, family members or other adults who might advocate for a student who needs more help due to challenging life circumstances. Researchers agree that a trauma-sensitive approach to special education Read More
Disability Rights Washington (DRW) has published a video about school use of isolation and restraint. The video, which is posted to YouTube, was produced by DRW’s media program called Rooted in Rights. DRW is a private non-profit organization with a mission to advance the dignity, equality, and self-determination of people with disabilities. The agency is Read More
A Brief Overview Behavior specialists generally agree that difficult behaviors arise from unmet needs. How adults respond is critical if a child is going to learn new ways to communicate. Humans spend about 80 percent of their brain energy trying to belong. This can explain a lot when a child with a disability feels isolated Read More
By Kelcey Schmitz, MSEd Center for Strong Schools University of Washington Tacoma We wouldn’t exclude, humiliate or send a child home for making an academic error. However, when it comes to misbehavior, a typical response has been to punish or wait until the behavior escalates or occurs at a high rate or intensity before intervening. Read More
By: Dr. Vanessa Tucker, PhD., BCBA-D What is Positive Behavior Support? Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is a special education initiative that informs school districts, schools and classrooms regarding prevention and intervention practices designed to teach and reinforce pro-social behaviors. Behavior supports, as we parents well know, do not end at the schoolhouse door. Interfering behaviors Read More
Glossary of Terms Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): also known simply as dispute resolution or procedural safeguards; options for resolving disagreements between parents and school districts; Washington’s options include facilitation, mediation, community complaint, and due process hearing. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): the federal law that makes it unlawful to discriminate against individuals with disabilities in Read More
Brief overview Students struggle in school for different reasons. RTI is an acceptable way of identifying students with learning disabilities. RTI isn’t a specific program or type of teaching. RTI works on a tier system with three levels of intervention. Full Article Students struggle in school for different reasons. Response to Intervention (RTI) can help Read More
*Adapted from OSEP’s complete list of acronyms Washington State Specific Terms Military Terms