The Children and Young Adult Services department at The Independence Sight Center recognizes the difference between accommodations and modifications when teaching students who have low vision using the general education curriculum alongside their peers. Sylvia Snyder, the Director, has generously shared some helpful resources: Accommodations and Modifications at a Glance The Michigan Vision Services Severity Rating Scale Expanded Core Curriculum…
We meet the lifetime legal needs of children and adults with disabilities, the elderly, and their families.
Special Education
Applied Behavior Analysis
We recently welcomed Rachel Avner Torrance of Accessing Abilities Behavioral and Educational Consulting to our Independence office to discuss Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with a small group of parents. She spoke to us about the importance of a proper and thorough functional behavioral assessment in developing a positive behavior plan. Here are some of our key takeaways: ABA is a…
No Double Dipping
Our Special Education Advocate, Mary Jo O’Neill, recently spoke to a great group of parents from Lev Miriam Bikur Cholim of Independence to answer some of their questions about the special education process. There were a lot of questions about how the EdChoice scholarship works with special education, so I thought it was a topic worth writing about. Can you…
Making the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-teacher conferences are approaching. What if you just had an IEP team meeting, and you’ve said all you had to say? You should STILL go to the conferences! Don’t miss this opportunity to be face-to-face with your child’s teachers. It’s a much different environment than an IEP team meeting. At parent-teacher conferences, it’s just that teacher and you. You’re typically…
Now Serving: Special Education Alphabet Soup
There’s a chill in the air and the leaves are starting to change into beautiful bold fall colors. It’s a great time to put on those sweaters, relax by the fire, and maybe sit down to a nice warm bowl of soup. Today Hickman & Lowder is happy to serve you some Alphabet Soup! The Special Education world is chock…
The Right Fit: 504 Plan or an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Transitioning into a new school year can be exhausting; watching your child run out of his/her flip flops and walking into their school shoes. As parents, you understand the importance of having perfectly fitted shoes when strolling into the school year. It is equally important to have an academic plan tailored to your child’s needs. Students who require specially designed…
Special Ed Q&A: Transportation
Question: What is the school’s obligation to transport my child if we take the Jon Peterson or Autism scholarships? Answer: There’s no obligation on the part of the public school district to provide transportation just because your child has a disability. But, you can use the scholarship funds to pay for private transportation if the IEP identifies the need for…
Independent Educational Evaluation: Disagreeing Creates Clarity
Your parental role is crucial in the formation of your child’s Individual Education Program (IEP). While the school district may have your child’s best interests in mind, that doesn’t mean that disagreements won’t occur. For example, you may take issue with how the district qualified your child for an IEP, or you may not agree with the goals written in…
Can I Record a Mediation?
Question: I have a meeting with my child’s school district that will be mediated by a representative of the Ohio Department of Education. Can I record this meeting? Answer: Regarding recording of meetings in general, it is not a violation of Ohio law to record a conversation IF you are a party to that conversation. However, some school districts have…
Oregon Class Action Lawsuit Defends Right to Full Day of School for Children with Disabilities
Quite a few of my clients have come to me for help when their child’s school day is made shorter than their typical peers. Sometimes, it is a matter of a bussing situation where the kids in special ed are on a bus that leaves 10 or 20 minutes before their typical peers. Other times, schools are sending their kids…