Discipline and Disability Rights: What to do if Your Child is Being Sent Home

Learning the skills to maintain expected behavior and follow school rules is part of education. All students learn social, emotional and behavioral skills. Students with disabilities may get extra help in these areas of learning. Some have individualized behavior support plans. When the pre-teaching and interventions fail to stop a behavior from causing a problem, Read More

What Parents Need to Know when Disability Impacts Behavior and Discipline at School

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

Parent Training and Information Program

PAVE’s program called Parent Training and Information (PTI) helps family caregivers, youth, and professionals with questions about services for children and young people with disabilities, ages 0-26. PTI provides direct help, training for groups, and access to resources. Click Get Help to fill out the form, and PTI staff will contact you to talk through your situation and provide information, Read More

Traumatic Brain Injury in Youth

A Brief Overview Full Article A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury that affects how the brain works. TBI can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. The exact definition of TBI, according to special education law, is referenced later. This injury can change how the person thinks, behaves, and moves. A traumatic brain Read More

Myth and Misunderstanding in Special Education

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

Children Do Well if They Can: A Behavioral Strategy from Ross Greene

Child Expert Ross Greene wants adults to rethink the way they support children who struggle with their behavior. He offers two reasons children behave in unexpected ways: Greene says about 80 percent of problem behaviors at school are due to academic struggles and the rest are related to social inadequacies. To help children make good Read More

Evaluations Part 1: Where to Start When a Student Needs Special Help at School

A Brief Overview Full Article If a student is having a hard time at school and has a known or suspected disability, the school evaluates to see if the student qualifies for special education. A child is protected in their right to be evaluated by the Child Find Mandate, which is part of the federal Read More

IDEA: The Foundation of Special Education

A Brief Overview Full Article The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that was passed in 1990 and has been amended. The IDEA provides children with qualifying disabilities, from birth to age 21, with the right to services designed to meet their unique, individual needs. Eligible children ages 3-21 who receive Read More

Bullying at School: Key Points for Families and Students with Disabilities

Transcript of this video is below: When students with disabilities are bullied, schools are legally responsible to end the bullying. By law, schools must act to restore the safety and well-being of students who are harmed by harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Those words—harassment, intimidation, and bullying, make an acronym: HIB. This video is about HIB Read More

Student Rights, IEP, Section 504 and More

Getting the right help for students with disabilities is made easier when families learn key vocabulary and understand how to use it. PAVE provides videos to support learning about student rights and how to work with the school to get individualized support. Video number 1: Pyramid of Rights Protections for Students With Disabilities The first Read More

Section 504: A Plan for Equity, Access and Accommodations

A Brief Overview Section 504 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is upheld by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Section 504 prohibits discrimination based on disability in any program or activity that receives federal funding. All Washington state public schools must comply with this federal law. Every student Read More

Disability History Month Provides Opportunities for Reflection

A Brief Overview Full Article Disability History and Awareness Month in October provides an opportunity for policy makers, teachers, families and people throughout communities to reflect on the disability rights movement. Equity and access are protected by law, yet there is still work to be done to ensure that laws are upheld and that everyone Read More

Behavioral Health and School: Key Information for Families

When a student struggles to maintain well-being, achievement at school can be a challenge. This video provides key information for families to seek school-based services for behavioral health needs. Included are two advocacy statements that this information might empower you to say in a meeting with the school: “I want to make sure my student’s Read More

Where to Start

Learning in School: Where to Start Questions to ask your child’s teacher, IEP team, and other professionals regarding your child’s educational goals and progress.  Behavior & Discipline

Leadership

Youth: Leadership  Providing the information you need for you to have a clear idea on the decisions you want for your life.  Behavior & Discipline