Re-evaluation in high school?
Our federal special education law, IDEA, requires that a re-evaluation occur every three years for all students who receive special education services. This does not mean that every child has to go...
View ArticleCan there be too much help with homework?
Homework is a fact of life for most students from 1st grade to high school graduation. It is intended to be an opportunity to practice newly acquired skills, review what has already been learned, and...
View ArticleWho comes to IEP meetings?
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) that describes special education services and supports for a qualifying student with a disability is created by an IEP Team that is defined by federal law....
View ArticleProtect your child from the ripples of Newtown
We knew this would happen…again. The tragic shooting at the elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut was bound to trigger heightened sensitivity to anyone and anything that seems to be even remotely...
View ArticleIt’s time for a mid-year school check up
We are just about at the halfway point in the school year. Report cards will be coming home. If your child receives special education services you should also get a report on his/her progress on...
View ArticleSocial skills can help some “problem behaviors”
Sometimes we forget that, other than basic bodily functions, just about everything that we do is learned behavior. In schools we learn obvious things like reading, writing and math. At home we learn...
View ArticleFAQ: Can I get an evaluation for a child who is in the RtI process?
When parents make a referral to have their child evaluated to see if they need special education services, they are sometimes told that the school must first complete a process called RtI. In North...
View ArticleFAQ: One-on-one assistants and LRE for students with disabilities
FAQ: Is having a one-on-one assistant the “most restrictive” setting for a student with a disability? Answer: No. The type of support that a student requires has nothing to do with the degree to...
View ArticleWhen to consider an Independent Educational Evaluation
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) gives parents of children with disabilities several rights and protections. One of these is the right to request an Independent Educational...
View ArticleIs my child ready for Kindergarten?
From late winter through the end of the school year, many parents of kindergarten-eligible children wrestle with the option of keeping them in preschool for one more year. The child may have a late...
View ArticleSummer learning and fun on a shoestring
Many parents worry that the summer break from school will mean weeks of lost opportunities to learn. Worst yet, they fear that their child may actually lose skills that they have worked so hard to...
View ArticlePromotion after Third Grade has become more complicated
It used to be fairly simple to talk with parents about how promotion and retention decisions were made in North Carolina. Except for high school students, whose grade classification is based on the...
View ArticleCollege experience is possible for students with intellectual disabilities!
There has been a quiet, but growing movement taking place in the world of post-secondary education. Thanks to demand from students who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their...
View ArticleFAQ: Can I pick my child’s teacher?
FAQ: Do I have a right to choose my child’s teacher? Answer: As a general rule, parents do not have the right to select the school staff who will be working with their child. However, there may be...
View ArticleDon’t let YOUR disappointment cause your child to fail!
As parents, we are convinced that we know what’s best for our child, or at least what they need. When it comes to school, we may very strong opinions about how our child learns best, how much...
View ArticleRe-engaging parents in the IEP process
Most of the time I think of parents as my primary audience when writing an Ask ECAC blog post. This time I would like to “flip the script” and address the educators and other professionals who have a...
View ArticleDissecting a Victory
Reblogged from autismblues: So today was the big day. We had our eligibility meeting at the school to determine if our fourth child, a third-grader, qualified as being on the autism spectrum according...
View ArticleDon’t forget to plan for non-academic school time!
Part of the excitement of going back to school is thinking about the fun parts of the school experience. Many children look forward to playing with friends during recess, having lively conversations...
View ArticleLearning in the garden
I have loved to watch plants grow, going back at least to age 7 when I laid on the ground to look up, with pure appreciation, at a spindly young tree in front of my family’s apartment in Baltimore....
View ArticlePreparing kids at home for the Common Core Standards
Many parents have been hearing scary things about the Common Core State Standards that most states are now using as a foundation for their General Education Program or Standard Course of Study. The...
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