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Education > Special Education
IEP Rights When Your School Cuts Special Education Services
...their IEP? The short answer is this: your child's legal right to a free appropriate public education under...child's needs, not their budget. You have specific legal tools to challenge those reductions. Here's what...bounced emails, unanswered calls, and delays in guidance. Without federal staff to intervene when states...
Financial > Financial Planning
A Special Needs Planning Timeline: 9 Steps to a Sound Family Plan
...focus and creativity. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Include your child's educators, family, friends and professionals that can offer support and guidance through the process. Step 1 — Understand the Process is Different The initial step should be a full understanding that traditional planning...
Global Insights > Employment
When (and How) to Tell an Employer About Your Disability: A Decision Guide
...exposes you to bias that antidiscrimination laws don't always prevent in practice. The right timing depends on what you need, where you work, and what legal framework governs your employment. Here's how to make that call. When Disclosure Is Legally Required. In the United States, you're not required to disclose...
Education > K-12
FAPE and LRE Explained: A Parent's Guide to Your Child's Rights Under IDEA
...does not mean best possible. This distinction matters because many parents assume FAPE obligates schools to maximize their child's potential, but the legal standard sets a lower bar. The standard, established in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (2017), requires education "reasonably calculated...
Legal > Government Benefits
Maryland Is Cutting $250 Million in Disability Services. Families Have Days to Push Back.
Maryland Senate passed $126M in DDA cuts affecting 19,100 people. Conference committee meets Friday. Here's what to do now.
Global Insights > Advocacy
Beyond the IEP: Legal Rights Parents of Children with Disabilities Should Know
...timelines, know what FAPE means, and understand procedural safeguards. But the legal framework doesn't stop at the school door. The Americans with Disabilities...accommodations, and state services. Many parents don't realize the same legal structure that governs their child's education also covers discrimination...
Legal > Government Benefits
Idaho Passed $22M in Medicaid Disability Cuts. Here's What Families Can Do Before the Governor Signs.
Idaho HB 863 cuts $21.8M from residential habilitation. Governor Little has 5 days to act. Families can still make their voices heard.
Therapies > Occupational
Occupational Therapy for Children with Special Needs: School, Private, or Both?
...they're educationally necessary. That means the therapy must directly support your child's ability to access their education. Educational necessity is a legal standard, not a functional one. School-based OT focuses on skills needed to participate in the classroom: holding a pencil to complete written work,...
Special Needs > Hearing Impairments
IDEA Rights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Public Schools
...have. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes specific protections for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and they're legal requirements, not suggestions. Here's what schools must provide and how to make sure your child gets it. What IDEA Requires for Deaf and Hard of Hearing...
Special Needs > Diabetes
Your Child's 504 Plan for Diabetes: A Complete Guide for School Management
...to change pump sites in the dark. Now the school wants to meet about accommodations, and you're supposed to know what to ask for. A 504 plan is the legal framework that protects your child's access to the medical care they need during the school day. It's named for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act...
Education > Special Education
How to Find an IEP Advocate or Special Education Attorney
...understand what it feels like to navigate the system, but they don't have formal legal training. They can attend meetings with you, help you understand your rights,...for their own child. They can't represent you in due process or provide legal advice. Educational advocate: A trained professional who specializes in...
Special Needs > Asperger Syndrome
Employment and Asperger Syndrome: Workplace Rights, Accommodations, and Strategies for Success
...norms and sensory tolerances. The Americans with Disabilities Act gives you legal rights to accommodations that level the playing field. Those rights are real,...what you need to know to advocate for a workplace that works for you. Your Legal Rights Under the ADA. The ADA protects adults with autism spectrum disorder,...