Tips for a successful school year

The beginning of a new school year is a hectic time for families, but it is also a critical time for ensuring that your student has a smooth transition back to school. This webinar will provide concrete strategies you can use to build good relationships with school staff, establish consistent routines for your student, and stay on top of your student’s progress. 

Special Education Eligibility Process 

This webinar is designed for families with a student who does not yet receive special education. It provides an overview of special education and walks you through the eligibility process. Topics include the responsibilities of the school district, how to request special education services for your student, the evaluation timeline, the determination of eligibility for services, and the important role families play throughout the process. 

Section 504 Plans 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities, and requires that the needs of students with disabilities are met as adequately as the needs of non-disabled students. This webinar will help you understand who is protected under Section 504, how to request a Section 504 Plan, the differences between an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and a Section 504 Plan, and the available grievance procedures. 

Preparing for the IEP Annual Review Meeting

For students receiving special education services, an Annual Review of your student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) is required each year. This webinar will help you feel more confident in advocating for your student during this important meeting. As we discuss the most significant components of the IEP document, follow along with your student’s most recent IEP.  

Eliminating Bullying for Students with Disabilities

Too many students experience bullying at school, and often families feel powerless when they learn that their student is being bullied. Students with disabilities are more likely to be bullied than their non-disabled peers, and it can have a profound impact on their ability to learn. This webinar explores the obligations of schools to take immediate action when they learn that bullying is occurring to a student with a disability, and steps you can take to protect your students. 

School Discipline for Students with Disabilities

IEP, FBA, BIP, MDR, OSS, ISS…Find out how to decipher all the acronyms and learn more about school discipline processes for students with disabilities. Suspensions from school impede your student’s learning and overall academic achievement, and often are related to your student’s disability. This webinar will help you understand the laws protecting students with disabilities when they are excluded from school and how to better advocate for your student’s emotional and behavioral needs. 

Strategies for a Successful IEP Meeting

Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings can be stressful for families of students with disabilities. This webinar is designed to help parents, caregivers, and professionals working with students with IEPs feel better equipped to advocate successfully during these meetings. You will learn when to request an IEP meeting, how to prepare for the meeting, strategies to use during the meeting, and best practices following the meeting.  

Special Education Evaluations

Have you ever wondered why your student receives so many different assessments during the Individualized Education Program (IEP) evaluation process? Would you like to know more about what those assessments are, and how to interpret them? This webinar will explain the basics of the evaluation process and commonly used assessments so that you can use the results to better advocate for services and supports for your students.

Special Education Dispute Resolution

Feel like your student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) is not being followed? Disagree with the school about your student’s placement or amount of special education services? Not sure what to do about it? Sometimes advocating for your student at an IEP meeting may not be enough to resolve disagreements with the school system. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides several ways to resolve disputes that may arise. This webinar will provide an overview of facilitated IEP meetings, state complaints, mediation, and due process.