Special Education and Regional Center Blog

If you are a parent of a special needs child, you face challenges every day. One of them should not be waiting for your child to be tested to determine whether or not learning disabilities are getting in the way of educational progress. If you have been put on hold due to the pandemic, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 177 into law, effectively …

Continue reading “District Must Now Conduct Assessments”

On April 27, 2020, much to my surprise, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recommended Congress not make any exceptions to the Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) during the COVID-19 pandemic (for an overview of FAPE and LRE, click here.) This is welcomed relief to parents and advocates of students with disabilities. Secretary Devos emphasized that learning must continue for all …

Continue reading “COVID-19 Updates: Federal and State Announcements about Special Education”

It goes without saying that with the current COVID-19 crisis has changed learning for special education students. Some students have Zoom classes all day long and some get photocopied worksheets. Some love learning at home while others have trouble even sitting down in front of the computer. Here are a few ideas to consider during this unprecedented time.  1. It Is All Ok. Learning remotely is hard for all students. Remote learning is even harder …

Continue reading “What You Should Be Doing During COVID-19”

FAPE Blog, Post 2 of 3. Click here for Post #1. An educational assessment or evaluation is a critical catalyst for the IEP process. Assessments help identify the student’s learning needs and determine whether the student requires special education services.  In order to provide special education services, a school district must first assess the student in all areas of suspected disability. After receiving a referral, the district has 15 calendar days to send an assessment …

Continue reading “Educational Assessments”

Learn what a Functional Behavior Assessment is and why Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA) are important.