Summer days offer time to focus on play, creativity, and family fun. If most days also include time for reading, children will better maintain skills they’ve been working on during the school year. Here are tips for families to keep kids engaged in reading. Check your child’s reading level If possible, ask a teacher for Read More
Category: All Articles
This is a page listing in order of latest article written or recently updated. All articles are sorted by the topics above: Learning in School, Parent and Family, Health & Wellness and Youth. Use the drop-downs in each category to further sort and find articles. Or enter the topic in the Search bar above.
Support for Youth Whose Post-High School Plans were Impacted by COVID-19
A Brief Overview Students who did not make adequate progress on IEP goals due to COVID-19 may be eligible for Recovery Services. IEP teams are responsible to make individualized, student-centered decisions about this option for additional educational services. Students who turned 21 and “aged out” of their IEP services during the pandemic may be eligible Read More
What to Know about Adapted Physical Education in Washington State
A Brief Overview Physical Education (PE) is adapted in four primary ways to support students with disabilities. Read on for more detail. Federal law protects the rights of students with disabilities to access PE, and Adapted PE (APE) can be provided as a service on a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). How often Adapted PE Read More
What Parents Need to Know when Disability Impacts Behavior and Discipline at School
A Brief Overview Discussion about school-based discipline was pretty quiet during the pandemic. The topic is resurfacing as schools begin to reopen for in-person instruction. Read on for information about student rights in Washington and what families need to know when behavior impedes learning and disability may be a factor. Schools are required to provide Read More
Steps to Read, Understand, and Develop an Initial IEP
A Brief Overview A first-time IEP document is a lot to absorb. This article provides tips to help family members read through a draft IEP and prepare to participate on the IEP team that finalizes the Individualized Education Program before services begin. Remember, the school’s first version is a DRAFT, and family members of the Read More
Mental Health Education and Support at School can be Critical
A Brief Overview Alarming statistics indicate the pandemic has worsened 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. Students eligible for special education services through the federal category of Emotional Disturbance are more than twice as likely as Read More
Evaluations Part 1: Where to Start When a Student Needs Special Help at School
A Brief Overview Special Education is provided through the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for a student with a qualifying disability. The first step is to determine eligibility through evaluation. This article describes that process. Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) is the “special” in special education. The evaluation determines whether SDI is needed to help a student Read More
Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)
The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory* Department of Defense program that helps military dependents with special needs. The Coast Guard, which operates under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security has a similar program called the Special Needs Program, or SNP. * EFMP is mandatory, primarily so a family member’s needs may Read More
Legal Resources for Highly Mobile Military Families
Military families have unique circumstances that can call for out-of-state or specialized assistance. For example, when they move to a new duty station, they may need to find a lawyer in the state to which they are moving to help them establish a new guardianship for an adult child with disabilities. Fortunately there is an Read More