Special Education

On November 8, 2018, the news broke that disability advocates reached a settlement in the long-running Doe case against the State of Ohio.  While the settlement is still subject to court approval, it requires special efforts by the state for students with disabilities to improve test scores and rates of inclusion in 11 school districts.  It aims to improve academic…

Only YOU understand your child and appreciate him/her as a whole learner.  Parents are living through their child’s deficits, not only in school, but at home.  One aspect that has changed the educational experience at home for families is the report cards.  From the format, to the timing, to how the earned grades are delivered to parents, it is incredibly…

The Special Education Team of Hickman & Lowder welcomes Special Education Advocate Mary Jo O’Neill, M.Ed., as its newest member.  Mary Jo will be working with the team to develop more cost effective and efficient service packages to help parents navigate the complexities of IDEA. Mary Jo has a long history of working on behalf of parents; she combines her…

Many of our clients who are unhappy with their school district ask us to recommend a “good” school district. This is a really tough question to answer because it really comes down to the type of disability the child has (some districts are better with Autism, others with anxiety) and the people–from administration to the child’s intervention specialist or aide. As…

This is the first in a three-part series on how to identify and respond to potential abuse by school employees. PART 1: HOW DO I FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED? Abuse of a student by school staff is very rare, but when there is a suspicion, a host of questions arise, especially if your child has difficulty communicating. The first part…

Exceptional Mom’s Day was amazing—we learned, we shared, we laughed, we cried, we ate, and we walked around in our amazingly comfortably fuzzy pink socks while sipping hot cocoa! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have met new people and reconnect with familiar faces, all of us going on a similar journey. But there is only SO MUCH you…

You know that huge packet of boring legal information the school district gives you at the end of your IEP meetings? You likely have multiple copies at home. Well, it’s changing. The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) has issued a new procedural safeguards notice. Instead of the “Whose IDEA is This?” notice, you will soon begin receiving A Guide to…

The United States Supreme Court is trying to determine exactly what level of benefit a public school is required to provide to its students with disabilities in order to comply with the Federal IDEA. Does a school have to show that each student is making “substantial progress?” Or “meaningful progress?” Since this case has such great importance, there are many…

So many of my clients ask for suggestions on alternative schooling options for their child with special needs. It can be very time consuming and often not very productive for parents to do Internet searches to find out what’s out there. So, as I have the opportunity to check some of these places out, I’ll send out little blurbs to…

Is your child’s IQ is well below average? Does your child’s IEP exempt your child from standardized tests or note that she should take modified assessments? Is she “pulled out” into a resource room for any academic subject, such as Math or Language Arts? Is it clear from her homework that she is unable to learn at the same depth…