Transportation is a Mandatory “Related Service” for Special Ed Kids That Need It

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Under IDEA, transportation is a “related service” that must be provided to kids with an IEP.1  Transportation must also be provided to infants and toddlers as part of Early Intervention Services.2 Transportation includes travel between home and school; between schools (if the child attends more than one campus); travel within and around school buildings (if […]

New special ed case involving charter schools and attorney’s fees

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit handed down an excellent decision on October 11, 2017 for parents of children with disabilities.  In the case of H.E., et al.  v. Walter D Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School, et al., the Court held and reaffirmed its prior ruling that “success on a claim […]

Special Education Law and Child Custody

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According to the American Psychological Association, 40-50% of marriages in the United States end in divorce.  Of all children born to married parents this year, 50% will experience the divorce of their parents before they reach their 18th birthday. (Patrick F. Fagan and Robert Rector, “The Effects of Divorce on America,” Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, May 2000.) […]

The New Jersey Dyslexia Handbook

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A group of smart minds in the New Jersey world of special education gathered and put together an excellent guide to assist schools, parents, and providers in helping children with dyslexia.  They recently issued “The New Jersey Dyslexia Handbook: A Guide to Early Literacy Development & Reading Struggles” (PDF) which is free to download from […]

What documents should be in your child’s special education binder?

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If you are a parent of a special education student or advocating for one, do yourself a favor and . . . PRINT OUT THIS ARTICLE (or at least the plan below). Not only will this article save you time and lots of money, it will help you understand how best to help your child […]

Making a Complaint About Your Child’s Special Education

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Your child is not receiving the attention or services he or she needs in school. As a result, your child is doing poorly in school. You’re not even sure of the cause of the problem, but you know something is wrong. What do you do? If you are the parent of a child with special […]

The Law on Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs)

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Evaluations of your disabled child are critical to your child’s success in school and life.  If done properly, they can provide insights into services, therapies and accommodations that your child needs to access a “free appropriate public education” or FAPE.  But if not done properly, it can prevent your child from ever getting a proper […]

Special Education law is not about revenge

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Many clients come to me with vindication on their minds.  They feel they have been wronged and want to inflict pain on whomever did the wrong.  They want revenge.  This is especially true in the field of special education law.  They want to “get back” at the school district that they felt is interfering with […]

Playing (and Winning) the School District’s Game of Chicken

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[Appeared previously on Special Education Advisor blog] Probably the most frustrating part of being the parent of a child with a different ability[1] is the response from the very organization you hoped you could trust the most to do right by your child – your school district.  After all, teachers and administrators are trained to […]