Hickman Lowder is thrilled to play a part in advancing dyslexia awareness and literacy best practices by sponsoring the IDA- Northern Ohio’s 36th Annual Symposium on September 27, 2024. Join Advocate Mary Jo O’Neill, who will be attending the event and contributing a...
We meet the lifetime legal needs of children and adults with disabilities, the elderly, and their families.
Special Education
Hickman Lowder Announces the Retirement of Founding Partner Franklin J. Hickman
Hickman Lowder Lidrbauch & Welch Co., L.P.A. announces that its founding Partner, Franklin J. Hickman will retire from active practice this month after a career spanning more than five decades. He will continue to be Of Counsel with the Firm and will be available for consultation on cases as needed.
The 14 disability categories in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that schools provide additional education supports and/or services for eligible students. These additional supports are specifically defined in an Individual Education Plan (IEP). An IEP creates goals for...
Hickman Lowder Lawyers Recognized as 2024 Best Lawyers® Award Recipients
Hickman Lowder Lidrbauch & Welch Co., LPA attorneys Janet L. Lowder, Franklin J. Hickman, and Ethan A. Welch were recently recognized by Best Lawyers as 2024 Best Lawyers® Award Recipients.
How do I get special education services for my child?
Many parents believe their child would benefit tremendously from special education services and would qualify for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). What parents do not know is how to get the special education services....
Transition – What Happens When My Child Turns 18? – April 29, 2023
On April 29, 2023 Hickman Lowder Attorneys Ethan A. Welch spoke about transition planning and what to expect when your child turns 18. They talked about guardianship and less restrictive alternatives; applying for SSI and Medicaid; and transition planning and...
Equipping Parents for Education Advocacy – April 15, 2023
On April 15, 2023, Hickman Lowder and Education Advocate Mary Jo O’Neill hosted the webinar, Equipping Parents for Education Advocacy. They discussed the following topics: 1) the difference between IEPs and 504 Plans, 2) the IEP eligibility and development process,...
The gap between diagnosis and support for your child
For parents and teachers, it can be difficult to identify a child who needs an alternative learning environment. Here are a few ways you can handle the gap between getting a diagnosis for your child and getting the support they need at school. The path to diagnosis...
The Family Story Process
Before Sharing Your Concerns with the School District, Create a Non-Emotional Timeline Different family members have different versions of the same story. Grandma may tell avery different tale from Mom or Dad. My job is to listen for the underlying thread, and pinpoint the base of the concern, helping them to see things through each other’s perspective. Then, I give…
Preparing for Planning/ETR/IEP Meetings
For any meeting on a child’s education to be successful, parents must be prepared. The first step is to understand both the basic terminology and process of how documents such as IEPs are created. The following are some suggested steps to help you be prepared for these meetings. In Special Education, there are 13 categories of eligibility. The categories are…