Research continues to affirm that when schools, families, and the community work together to support learning, children tend to succeed not just in school but also throughout life. Today many schools face family disengagement, crisis situations and communication issues that incite reactive rather than proactive behavior. How does an educator make the transition from firefighting… Read more

Parents are often overwhelmed by the number of acronyms that are used in special education. Here are some of the most frequently used acronyms, even though this is not an exhaustive list, these cover some of the ones that are commonly used. Adaptive Behavior-AB Applied Behavioral Analysis-ABA American Disability Act-ADA Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-ADHD APE… Read more

The following is a list of terms used in special education.  The definitions of these words are helpful to parents when reading reports, attending meetings, conferences, and/or talking with staff members who work with your child. Academic – Refers to subjects such as reading, writing, math, social studies, and science. Accommodations – Changes in format… Read more

Since 1974, federal legislation has provided the right for children with disabilities to receive an appropriate public education.  The Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEIA, 2004) reaffirmed these rights.  Under the federal law, special education means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique needs of individuals with exceptional… Read more

HOW SLEEP AFFECTS STUDENT’S GRADES AND ATTENDANCE The StartSleeping.org website published this article to provide tips to help your child sleep. Children who do not get an adequate amount of sleep on school nights are much more likely to fall asleep in class, not complete homework assignments with quality work, and struggle with academic and… Read more

Author: Tim LaCourt, M.A. This book is a relevant revision of a 2011 publication. The need for this book—now more than ever–is clearly stated on page 5 by the authors: “As schools and classrooms transition from pandemic to post-pandemic operations, the high frequency, high quality implementation of better instructional practice is no longer a professional… Read more

The Dutch Coalition on Disability and Development (DCDD) has developed a Quick Guide: Towards Disability Inclusive Education to make it easier to access tools and resources to support inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This guide was developed to help programme managers, proposal developers and field coordinators who are involved… Read more

The Far End of the Continuum Author: Frances Stetson, Ph.D. One of the primary goals of education is to provide equitable, quality learning opportunities that enable students to achieve post-school success. This goal is the same for all students, including students with disabilities.  Until the past decade, students that needed extra support and were eligible… Read more

Finding grants can present an elusive search; websites change, new grant sources are added while others dry up.  Do periodic searches. Know what grant providers do and don’t fund. Carefully read the application process. Don’t give up…there is money out there for your school! Remember, always begin with your district level Grants Office or School… Read more