School Budget Cuts and Special Education

Are you the parent of a child currently receiving special education services? Are you extremely concerned about the troubles schools seem to be having with money lately? Have you been told by special education personnel that your child's services are going to be cut due to lack of money, or that you will have to pay for some services? This article will be discussing school districts lack of money and threats being made to cut special education services; whether it is legal and possible motivations for doing this!
Special education services are considered an entitlement under Federal law (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004--IDEA 2004). In order to be eligible for special education services a child must have a disability (such as autism, a specific learning disability) and have educational need. School districts are required to provide children a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) which includes all services needed for the child to benefit from their education. While parents must fight for these services, the child is entitled to them.
Since a child is entitled to all the services they need; it is truly illegal for a school district to state that they will not provide services, due to lack of money. The Department of Education's Office of Special Education Program (OSEP) has taken the position over the years that lack of money is not an excuse, for not providing needed services. The problem becomes that parents must prove that their child needs the services, and then fight for the school district to actually provide them!
Lately I have heard from several parents that have received threats from school personnel that their child's self contained program was going to close, and/or that they were going to ask parents to pay for Extended School Year services during the summertime. The child with a disability is entitled to FAPE which includes the word Free, so charging for services is not legal; under any circumstances! Also schools must provide a continuum of placement services which starts from the regular classroom, and then goes to special classes, special schools etc. If the school district is threatening to close a child's self contained class how will they educate the child if they close the class. Shutting programs that children need is also not legal!
Below are a few of my thoughts on why some school personnel may be making these threats to parents:
1. School personnel may be trying to force a tax increase or fight for more state and Federal money! I have actually seen rallies on television where parents are fighting for new taxes for education, and/or trying to get the State or Federal Government to fund schools more. Schools already receive a large amount of Federal and State tax money. more than any other sector. Perhaps the problem is how they are spending their money, and what their priorities are!
2. One reason school personnel may be threatening parents is because many parents do not know that schools cannot legally cut special education services or programs that their child needs! This is the reason that it is critical that parents know Federal and State law, so that they can stand up to school personnel!
3. School personnel may be trying to get parents to back down from asking for expensive services. I talk about this a lot in my book Disability Deception-about how schools do not want to provide services to children that may be costly-even though the child needs it. It is important for parents to advocate for their child because their child's life will be ruined if they do not receive an appropriate education.
Many of the threats being made to parents of children in special education are actually illegal under Federal law! Children are depending on us as their parents, to stand up to lies and deceptions in special education, for the good of their education!

A Boost to Your Educational Plan

The US government promotes higher education and offers one of the world's best possible educational options to prospective students and has allotted a staggering $160 billion for the current financial year. With college education becoming expensive, it might be a bit difficult for the students especially on a tight budget to carry on higher education. But the US government offers various kinds of college grants to enable them to get college education.
College grants are actually excellent source of educational funding and the government has also launched various interesting funding schemes to encourage more and more students for higher education. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act, the National SMART Grant are some of the ways to help the students fund their studies. These education grants are meant for the academically bright students who want to pursue higher education.
The US Education Department's different federal students' aid program is the largest source of higher education grants in the US, not to mention the college grants. College grants are of different types to serve different purposes- the student grants to the students comes from low income families; subject specific grant to encourage more enrollment in under represented subjects; higher education grants to enable students go for doctoral studies, etc. The education department has an annual budget of more than $100 billion for scholarships, aids, grants and higher research. There are many subject specific grants available in the community colleges and the universities.
There are other types of education grants available like the Undergraduate Scholarship Program which encourages students to continue career in biomedical research. The other popular types of education grants are the PLUS loans and the Stafford loans that should be repaid but have very low interest rates. There are special college grants for women who would like to pursue higher studies. There are different types of grants that are provided to women like the Undergraduate Education Grants for Women.

There are many sources for these College Grants. Even though the main bulk comes from the US Department of Education and the Federal Government, there are many private organizations who give away these grants as well. All these college grants need proper documents to apply and come with specific deadlines for application. You can apply online and submit all your documents including your social security number, driving license if you have one, all your W2 and tax papers, property and investment details and other required documents.

The Face of Education Today

What does education look like today? Does it match what is expected in the real world?
"We are so trapped in the memory of what school was like for us. When we were students, the world outside of school looked like the world inside of school. Now, it does not. The paper based system does not make any sense to kids who are coming up in school. Is our educational system geared toward innovation? Do we want an 18th century model or a 21st century model for our schools?" - Susan Patrick U.S. Dept of Ed.
Though I would not agree with many things that Ms. Patrick would say, I do agree that we need to give our children an education that is geared toward real life. It is true for many of our public schools are modeled after what education looked like when we were young. Yet, educational methodology should be changing to represent the changes in our culture, but so often we are late to incorporate this change in our government schools. Understandably, the vastness of the infrastructure prevents constant change, but this is the problem. The change belongs to the medium in which the education is given - the knowledge itself does not change except to grow and improve in its breadth as more discoveries are made.
Homeschool families tend to adapt their education to model a real world example, and I applaud the many homeschool families that are embracing technology as a day to day integral part of their homeschool. With the path that our society and culture is taking, this new method of education models the real world. Online curriculum, tools, and resources that educate through technology are the 21st century model of education, and one I believe most families are ready and willing to embrace. To accomplish this, adapting our methods of education to model the real world must become a necessary part of daily education. This can be done by adding technology to the training we give our children. There are many wonderful sites available on the internet today to make this a reality. From public education to private to homeschooling - education must be geared to model, train, and prepare students to function well in the future.

education look like today

What does education look like today? Does it match what is expected in the real world?
"We are so trapped in the memory of what school was like for us. When we were students, the world outside of school looked like the world inside of school. Now, it does not. The paper based system does not make any sense to kids who are coming up in school. Is our educational system geared toward innovation? Do we want an 18th century model or a 21st century model for our schools?" - Susan Patrick U.S. Dept of Ed.
Though I would not agree with many things that Ms. Patrick would say, I do agree that we need to give our children an education that is geared toward real life. It is true for many of our public schools are modeled after what education looked like when we were young. Yet, educational methodology should be changing to represent the changes in our culture, but so often we are late to incorporate this change in our government schools. Understandably, the vastness of the infrastructure prevents constant change, but this is the problem. The change belongs to the medium in which the education is given - the knowledge itself does not change except to grow and improve in its breadth as more discoveries are made.
Homeschool families tend to adapt their education to model a real world example, and I applaud the many homeschool families that are embracing technology as a day to day integral part of their homeschool. With the path that our society and culture is taking, this new method of education models the real world. Online curriculum, tools, and resources that educate through technology are the 21st century model of education, and one I believe most families are ready and willing to embrace. To accomplish this, adapting our methods of education to model the real world must become a necessary part of daily education. This can be done by adding technology to the training we give our children. There are many wonderful sites available on the internet today to make this a reality. From public education to private to homeschooling - education must be geared to model, train, and prepare students to function well in the future.

Special Education - Tips on Using Them to Help Your Child

Are you the parent of a child that has autism, and is receiving
special education services? Are you a parent that would like to
understand Draft individual education plans (IEP), and how you
can use them to benefit your child. This article will help you learn about
Draft IEP's, what the requirements are, and how to use them to
help your child's education.
A draft IEP is an individual education plan that is filled out in
advance, of the IEP meeting, for your child. Many parents wonder
if it is legal for special education personnel to do this. The Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is silent on draft IEP's.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), which is part of the
Department of Education stated in the Federal Register Vol 71 August
12, 2006 "We do not encourage public agencies to prepare a draft IEP
prior to the IEP team meeting. . ."
So, draft IEP's are not illegal, but are discouraged by OSEP. The
Federal Register also states ". . .if a public agency develops a draft
IEP prior to the IEP meeting, the agency should make it clear to the
parents at the outset of the meeting, that the services proposed by
the agency are preliminary recommendations for review and discussion
with parents." Special education personnel rarely state this, at the
beginning of a meeting, so you may have to bring it up. The Federal
Register goes on to say "It is not permissible for an agency to have
the final IEP completed before an IEP Team meeting begins."
The Federal Register comments from OSEP also state "The public
agency also should provide the parents with a copy of its draft
proposals if the agency has developed them, prior to the IEP
meeting. . ." You should request this in writing, and I would
also quote the comments from the Federal Register. The
request should include timelines; for Example "I will expect
to receive a copy of the Draft IEP at the same time as my
10 day written notice of the IEP meeting."
The Federal Register also has OSEP stating "so as to give the
parents an opportunity to review the recommendations of the public
agency prior to the IEP team meeting, and be better able to engage in
a full discussion of the proposals for the IEP."
One way to use Draft IEP's to help your child, is to develop your own
draft IEP. Go to your state board of education's Website, go to
special education and then download an IEP form (Most states have an
IEP form available for downloading). Fill out the form, with everything
that you believe your child needs.
Take the form with you to your child's IEP meeting, and cross out each
section as it is discussed. This will allow you to not only be an
active participant in your child's IEP, but also to have your input
heard. Also, special education personnel cannot leave out important
parts of the IEP, as they do on occasion. Also by having your own
Draft IEP filled out, you can advocate for your child when special
education personnel want to change or decrease their educational
services.
You can use Draft IEP's to help your child. By requesting the school's
Draft IEP in advance, you will be able to be an active participant in
the IEP process. By bringing your own Draft IEP, you can have your
opinions heard. Good luck!

Analyzing Online Education Opportunities

As the demand for online education has grown, so has the supply of online education opportunities. Take advantage of this large number of new online education opportunities by finding a program that is tailored to your needs. Here are four things to do before choosing the online education opportunity that meets your needs:
1. Clearly Define Your Educational Goals
You need to know exactly what you want to gain from your education. How much are you willing to spend? Are you trying to sharpen or reinforce your professional skills with a couple of classes? Are you trying to take a whole new career direction? Are you trying to advance your career with a new degree? Are you trying to add a more prestigious college to your resume? If you don't readily know the answers to all of these questions you may need to do some thinking over them before you're ready to proceed. Don't invest too much money in an educational program that may not meet your goals.
2. List All of the Likely Solutions to Your Educational Goals
Look over the materials provided to you in brochures and on the Internet from all universities that appear to relate to your educational goals. If they have academic advisors, take advantage of them to bounce your thoughts on your education off of them and get advice. Gather as much information from as many online educational institutions as possible. Compare their scholastic offerings, educational styles, costs, and educational support systems to your educational goals. Use this information to narrow your list down to a few schools that seem most suited to you.
3. Research the Schools Thoroughly
There are probably more fake online degree programs than legitimate online degree programs. If you aren't sure of the reputation of the college with which you're dealing, do some accreditation research. Once you know that the institution is legitimate, make sure that the site you're visiting is actually the site of the institution to which it claims to belong. A quick call to the school's listed phone number on a national educational institution listing site should let you verify that you are indeed dealing with the school with which you believe you're dealing.
4. Go with Either a Big Name or Accreditation
If your school of choice isn't a big name school such as Harvard, make sure that the school offering the online education opportunity has proper accreditation. Accreditation is how most employers and other educational institutions determine whether schools they've never heard of are providing adequate education. Accreditation may not be as important for local private colleges, but it is generally vital for online degree programs from small colleges.

5 Reasons Why your Child in Special Education May Not be Getting FAPE

Does your child receive special education services and you wonder if
they are receiving an appropriate education? This article, will
discuss 5 reasons why your child may not be receiving a free
appropriate public education. And also, what can you do about it?
There is a lot that you can do to ensure a free appropriate public
education for your child.
Reason 1: Many special education personnel have extremely low
expectations, for children with disabilities. You must have high
expectations for your child, just because they are not learning, does
not mean that they can't. They may need to be taught a different way.
Reason 2: Some special education personnel limit or refuse to provide,
educational and related services that children with disabilities need.
Some special education personnel will even deny that a child has
autism, so that they do not have to provide more intense special
education services. It is your job as a parent to fight for the
services that your child requires. Try to meet other parents, of
children with disabilities, in your school district. Help each other
advocate, and attend each other's IEP meetings. Together you will be a
strong group.
Reason 3: The curriculums, that some school districts use to teach
children with disabilities, do not work. Special education personnel
are often reluctant to change methodology, even if the child is not
learning. Investigate different curriculums, for your child's
disability. Join disability organizations and meet other parents. This
will allow you to share information with each other, what works.
Reason 4: Parents, are often forced to pay for independent
educational evaluations (IEE's), to prove that their child needs
certain special education services. If a parent must pay for an IEE,
to ensure that their child receives a free and appropriate public
education, then the education is no longer free. If your school
district evaluates your child, and you disagree with the evaluation
(or the way it is interpreted), then the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), gives you the right to have an Independent
Evaluation at Public Expense. My book Disability Deception has an
entire chapter on IEE's that will give you more information on this
subject.
Reason 5: Many school districts suspend children with disabilities,
for behavior that is part of their disability. Educate yourself on
what IDEA requires as far as behavior/discipline. Special education
personnel can suspend a child up to 10 days.
Within 10 days of a decision to change a child's placement they must
convene a manifestation determination meeting. This meeting is being
held to determine if the behavior is part of your child's disability.
If it is, they must do certain things to include developing a positive
behavior plan. If they determine that the behavior is not part of your
child's disability, then they can discipline them as they would a non
disabled child. You can file for a due process hearing, if you
disagree with the school districts manifestation determination
decision.
By knowing why most children do not receive FAPE, you can advocate
hard for your child. They are depending on you, because they may not
be able to stand up for themselves.

How To Overcome Special Education Personnel's Money Complaints

Are you the parent of a child with autism that has been denied needed educational services, for your child? Have you been told by school district personnel, that your child cannot receive a certain service, because the price is too high? This article will discuss ways that you can overcome these tactics used by some school personnel, for the benefit of your child.

The purpose of special education taken out of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is "to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living."

IDEA does not allow, school districts to use the "money" card, to get out of providing needed educational services to children with disabilities. The reality is, that many school districts try this tactic many times a day. And the sad thing is, that many parents believe them. Do not fall for this tactic! Stand up for your child, as you are the only advocate that they will ever have.

For Example:

**School administrator: "Mrs. Jones we would love to give Mary 90 minutes of speech therapy a week, but our district is small, and we cannot afford it."

**Bad reply from the parent: "Oh I totally understand, I didn't mean to ask for so much."

**School administrator: "Oh I am sure that you didn't. But you have to understand that we have a lot of children in our district, and we want to help them all. How about 30 minutes a week?"

**Parent: "30 minutes will be fine."

The problem with this conversation is, that the parent should have discussed evidence she had of her child's need. The parent also did not clarify, that the amount of time offered was for direct service. Many times special education personnel will write down consultative services, rather than direct services; without the parent being aware of it.

Same Example:

**School Administrator: "Mrs. Jones we would love to give Mary 90 minutes of speech therapy a week, but our district is small, and we cannot afford it."

**Good Example from the parent: "Mr. Parker, my daughter Mary needs 90 minutes of direct speech language therapy per week, to make progress in her education. As you will see from the Independent Educational Evaluation that I have here, the registered Speech/Language Pathologist recommends 90 minutes of direct service per week. I am not concerned with the school districts budget, but what I am concerned about is Mary's right to receive a free appropriate public education."

**School Administrator: "Why would you go and get an independent evaluation, don't you trust our speech /language pathologist to recommend the best for Mary."

**Parent: "The Speech/Language Pathologist that works for this district, is only recommending 30 minutes direct service per week, despite Mary's low test scores in areas of receptive and expressive language. Mary needs 90 minutes of Speech Language therapy per week, if you refuse to give it to her, I will consider filing for a due process hearing.

**School Administrator: "Oh, you don't have to get nasty."

**Parent: "I was not getting nasty. Due process is my right, if I disagree with your decision, which I do."

School administrator: "We will consult with out speech language pathologist, and consider giving Mary the 90 per week of direct speech therapy."

**Parent: "Thank You."

Special Education

Do you wonder about the most common mistakes that parents make in advocating for their child, receiving special education services? Would you like to be an effective advocate for your child with autism, and avoid these mistakes? This article will discuss 5 common mistakes that parents make in advocating for their child and how you can avoid them.
Mistakes:
1. Letting emotions get the best of you! Many parents are unable to control their anger which gets in the way of their advocacy for their child.
2. Forgetting your inner voice! A lot of parents give too much weight to what some special education personnel say, rather than following their instincts.
3. Accepting lies from some special education personnel without challenging them. It is important to have a working knowledge of the federal and state special education laws so that you can recognize when you are being lied to!
4. Using the B word, when trying to get an education for your child! The B word is Best! The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that children have the right to a free appropriate public education; not the best.
5. Allowing special education personnel to continue year after year of not giving your child an appropriate education. Your child's life will be ruined if you do not advocate every year for the education that they need.
How to avoid these common mistakes:
1. If you are in an IEP meeting and find yourself getting angry ask for a break. Remember that the first person that loses their cool usually loses the fight. Stay calm no matter what! Find other parents that you can talk about your experiences with, this will help you keep focus and calm!
2. Always trust your instincts. If special education personnel are telling you something about your child that you does not seem right to you, start investigating. Possibly get an independent evaluation to help you determine if the school is being truthful!
3. If school personnel say something to you that does not sound right say: Show me in the federal or state special education laws where it says that you are allowed to do this! Always stand up to them in an assertive and persistent way, for the good of your child.
4. Always use the word appropriate, not best when advocating for your child.
5. If your school district refuses to give your child the special education services they need, consider an independent evaluation. If the independent evaluator states that your child needs the service, but the school district still refuses consider filing a state complaint or for a due process hearing Most special education personnel will continue denying services if the parent does not stand up to them.
If you follow these 5 things to avoid you will well be on your way to being an effective advocate for your child.

5 Qualities of a Good Special Education Advocate

Are you the parent of a child with autism that is having a dispute with school personnel, and would like some help? Are you the parent of a child with a learning disability, or another type of disability, that could use an advocate to help you in getting an appropriate education for your child? This article will give you 5 qualities that make a good special education advocate
An advocate is a person that has received special training, that helps parents navigate the special education system. In some cases the advocate is a parent of a child themselves, but this is not always the case. Before you hire an advocate check on their experience, and also make sure that the advocate is familiar with your child's disability, so that they are able to advocate effectively
Qualities:
1 A good advocate must be familiar with the federal and state education laws that apply to special education, and be willing to use them, when needed. This is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), State rules for special education (how they will comply with IDEA), and No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The advocate does not have to memorize the laws, but should have a basic knowledge of what is in them. The advocate must also be willing to bring up the laws, at IEP meetings, if this will benefit the child.
2. A good advocate should not make false promises to parents. If an advocate tells you. that they will get the services that you want for your child, be leery! Unfortunately, there are no guarantees in special education, and advocates should not promise things that they may not be able to get. An experienced advocate who knows the law and your school district, should have a sense about what can be accomplished.
3. A good advocate should be passionate about your child, and the educational services that they need. Advocacy sometimes takes a lot of time. If the person helping you is not passionate about your child, they may not be willing to help you for the length of time that it takes to get your child an appropriate education.
4. A good advocate must be willing to stand up to special education personnel, when they disagree with them, or when the school personnel tell a lie. If the advocate you pick, has every quality, but is not willing to stand up to school personnel, he or she will not be an effective advocate for your child.
5. A good advocate is detail oriented, and makes sure that any services promised by special education personnel, are put in writing. A good advocate will read the IEP before they leave the meeting, and bring up any changes that should be made. Sometimes the little details are what makes for success!
By keeping in mind these 5 qualities, you will be better equipped to finding an advocate that will be able to help you, get an appropriate education for your child.

Children Educational Software

So you have bought children educational software for your kids. And it is gathering dust in your computer. Your kids have used it once or twice. Now they no longer seem interested in the educational software. What to do?
Here are some tips which you can use to motivate your children to use educational software regularly so that they can get full advantage from it:
1. Teach me
You can ask your children to teach what they have learned in the children educational software. For example, you can say: "I always wanted to know how it's done. Can you show me what you learned about it in your new software?"
You can make your questions sound casual. And when your children answer questions, listen with interest. Children love the idea of teaching something to their parents, as it makes them feel important. This in turn will help to create more interest in the educational software.
2. Use Children Educational Software yourself
B.K.Narayan, creator of 'Success Mindware'-total self development program for students (www.mindpowerguide.biz) says, "When parents ask me how they can motivate their children to keep using educational program regularly, I tell them to do 2 things:
First, use it yourself in front of your children. And when you use it, pretend to like it. Point out the interesting and useful features of the educational software. When your children see you using it and having fun, they also feel the interest to use it.
Secondly, when your children complete a particular activity or exercise given in the children educational software, praise them affectionately. Describe to your friends and family members, in presence of your children, how they completed the exercise efficiently and how intelligent they are. When you sing their praise in front of others, children feel happy and are inclined to use the educational software more frequently," says Narayan.
3. Set a reward for using Children Educational Software
You can set small rewards for your children depending on how many times they use the educational software in a week or how much progress they make in learning the skills given in it.
For example: buying an ice cream or going to nearby park, if they use the educational software for 3 times a week. For older children, you can give allowance or pocket money, or even a ticket to movie depending on their progress in using children educational software.
4. Save children educational software on desk top
So that when your kids start the computer, they will automatically see the educational software folder or icon on the screen. This will prevent them from forgetting about the new educational software you bought for them.
With careful thinking and some planning depending on your children's mood, you can easily motivate your kids to use children educational software regularly or frequently. And help them gain maximum benefits from it.

How to Use an Independent Educational Evaluation to Benefit Your Child

Do you have a child with a learning disability or with autism that is
not making academic progress, even though they are getting special
education services? Would you like to know what educational and
related services your child needs in order to learn how to read, or do
other academics? This article will discuss what an Independent
Educational Evaluation (IEE) is, and how you can use one to benefit
your child with a disability.
The definition of an Independent Education Evaluation (IEE) is:
An independent educational evaluation is an evaluation conducted by a
qualified person, who does not work for the school district. Parents
of children with a disability often get IEE's so that they understand
what educational needs their child has and what services they require.
Most independent evaluations are parent initiated and paid for by the
parent.
Once you have decided to get an IEE, there are several things to
consider about the evaluator:
a. Make sure that they are qualified to perform the educational
evaluation. For Example: a registered Occupational Therapist could
conduct an Occupational Therapy evaluation. If sensory processing
disorder (used to be called sensory integration disorder) is an issue,
make sure that you find a registered Occupational Therapist who is
SIPT certified. If your child has autism, make sure the evaluator
specializes in educational evaluations for children with all types of
autism.
b. Whether this person is now, or ever has been an employee of
your school district. Talk to the person, and make sure that they do
not have a relationship with your school district. Be careful, even if
they used to work for another school district, make sure they are
truly independent, and willing to make recommendations for what your
child needs.
c. Make sure that the evaluator is willing to write a detailed
report, to include recommendations for related and educational
services. Ask the evaluator if they are willing to recommend specific
amount of minutes of service and specific methodology for educational
and related services. If they are not, consider going to a different
evaluator.
Once you have answered these questions, make an appointment and take
your child. Bring up any concerns that you have, and make sure that
you understand what tests will be conducted on your child. When the
report is finished, have the evaluator mail a copy to you. If you have
concerns about what is written, you may contact the evaluator and tell
them your concerns. Make sure recommendations are specific for
minutes, #of times per week, goals, methodology, etc.
Call the school district and set up an IEP meeting to discuss the
results of the IEE. If they request a copy up front, you can give it
to them. If possible, set up with the evaluator, a time that she or he
can participate in the IEP meeting by telephone. By having the
evaluator participate, special education personnel will have a harder
time not including the evaluators recommendations.
At the IEP meeting, if the school personnel will not put the
recommendations in your child's IEP, they must give you prior written
notice (PWN), as to why they are not willing to accept, the evaluators
recommendations. This notice must include the reason that they are not
accepting the recommendations, and what evaluations they are using to
refuse. If at the IEP meeting the school personnel do include the
recommendations, ask for reimbursement of the independent educational
evaluation.
An independent educational evaluation can be invaluable to your child.
By understanding what your child's educational and related needs are,
you may be a more effective advocate, for needed educational and
related services. If your child does not receive an appropriate
education their future may be in jeopardy!