Its Time To Root For the Underdogs!! 

**Every March, the nation is gripped by the thrilling upsets and Cinderella stories of March Madness. **

But beyond the basketball court, there's a group of underdogs who face even greater challenges; they're the special education students who fight for their right to succeed in a system not always set up for their victory.

Did you know that special education students struggle with

• Graduation rates that lag significantly behind their peers
• The...

20 Highly Effective Questions Experts Ask - Make a Difference in Your IEP

Everyone knows that Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings determine the type of support and accommodations required for the student to achieve their educational goals. At these meetings, your child’s team of professionals (educators and clinicians from school), you, and your child, work together to develop an IEP that outlines your child's educational needs, goals, and services.

Parents play a crucial role...

IEP VS. A 504 ACCOMMODATION PLAN

The Section 504 plan is NOT an IEP and that is the only part that is clear. Understanding the differences can be critical. If you have a child who should have an IEP and you are given a 504 accommodation plan instead, you will not be able to get the supports necessary for functional outcomes because most of them are not available under a 504. 

504 Plan

Section 504 is a part of a civil rights statute called the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

It prohibits...

This is a hard time for everyone. While we are all frustrated and coping with
unprecedented challenges raised by COVID-19, the burden is not shared evenly. This pandemic has magnified the extensive inequities present for 7.5 million special education students in our current educational system. 14 percent of all public school students receive federally mandated special education services because of their disabilities. Working together in collective constructive and positive action to...

For parents, advocates, and teachers IEP meetings can be overwhelming and even create fear. But, when provided with the right supports these fears can be alleviated.

Elenore Rosevelt said, "Do one thing every day that scares you." 

Well, parents of children with special needs go far beyond the call with that one! 

STRUGGLING WITH IEPs?

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS HARD!!

You are right, handling an IEP meeting should not induce high anxiety, demand pharmaceutical...

Provocative Language provides information on the interface between psychological practice, applied behavioral analysis, and social cognition training in an area that affects the education and welfare of children with specific disabilities like Autism, ADHD, TBI, and Tourette Syndrome. It provides insights on working with schools, mental health providers, and the criminal justice system. It describes principles for best practices and recommends procedures to be followed in IEP and goal...