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…
Tag: IDEA
Making the Most of Progress Reports for Special Education Students & Families
It’s that time of year again…the end of the grading period. As many of us know, having lived through it, students receive report cards with their grades at the end of each marking period (typically at the end of each quarter of the school year). At the same time, special education students will be receiving…
Parents: Three Steps to Take to Minimize the Impact of the Columbus City Schools Labor Strike on Your Children
Parents: Three Steps to Take to Minimize the Impact of the Columbus City Schools Labor Strike on Your Children On Sunday, August 21, 2022, the members of the Columbus Education Association (“CEA”) voted overwhelmingly to go on strike, the first in the district since 1975. Classes are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, August 24. The…
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…
ESY (Extended School Year) Services Denied by School?
What do you do when the school district denies your child with a disability extended school year (ESY) services?
Relief Has Been Denied in Most Anti-Masking Lawsuits Against Schools
Mark Weiker, Esq., Albeit Weiker, LLP Over the last two years, Ohio school boards have become a lightning rod for citizens to unload their personal and political thoughts on almost everything pandemic related. From virtual learning to masking to quarantining, school boards have absorbed the diverse and sometimes raucous opinions of their constituents. Outcomes in…
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,…
The Intersection of Special Education & Social Security Eligibility
Meet Emmy (pictured). She is our Special Education Advocate. You can read more about her here: Emily Haynes Social Security Eligibility As a parent with a child receiving Social Security benefits, you are most likely aware that to be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your child has “a physical or mental condition or a…