What Can You do to Get the Most Out of Your Child’s IEP Meeting?

There is no denying that IEP meetings can be overwhelming and oftentimes, you go into them unprepared and leave feeling exhausted. However, this does not have to be the case. Below, I will list some tips that will help you get the most out of your child’s IEP meeting and ensure that you are able…

HELP! I need to call a lawyer.

5 Things You Need to Know Before Contacting an Attorney  Understand Your Deadlines & Call as Soon as You Have Them  If you only need to respond with your intent to appeal, do so as soon as possible to start the process. For K12 items, this can generally be done via email to your child’s…

Public schools with “mask optional” policies risk losing immunity.

A.         The Choice Boards of education in Ohio have been placed in a tough position to start the school year. Boards have been forced to choose whether to require masks for their students and employees. Schools were placed in this position because the state legislature effectively removed the power of the Governor and the…

Can I Leave Work to Attend an IEP Meeting?

FMLA LEAVE MAY BE AVAILABLE TO PARENTS TO ATTEND IEP MEETINGS   On August 8, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (“the DOL”) issued guidance on whether an employee may take protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) to attend a meeting to discuss the Individualized Education Program (“IEP”) of the employee’s son or daughter. U.S. Dept. of Labor, WHD, FMLA 2019-2-A(August 8,…

Dyslexia 101

  Does your child struggle to read? Does your preschooler have trouble with common nursery rhymes, can’t learn and remember the names of the letters in the alphabet, or have a hard time recognizing common rhyming patters like cat, rat and bat? Does your kindergartener or first grader read “puppy” instead of the written “dog”…

Who do I need? Attorney vs. Advocate 101

When do you need a special education attorney versus a parent advocate? Federal and state laws require school districts to find and identify children with disabilities. Parents can request that their child be evaluated, and schools must respond appropriately. Once children have been identified, the schools are required to determine if they are eligible for…

HOW TO: Be A College Student With A Disability

If you were a student with a disability in elementary, middle or high school and are now in college, you’ve probably noticed a huge difference. Gone are the intervention specialists and teachers who read your IEP or 504 and kept you on track educationally, emotionally or physically. College professors expect you to manage your classes,…