Your Child’s Rights: Behavior Problems in School

How Schools should manage poor behavior It’s no secret that kids don’t always act how adults want them to. Sometimes, when students don’t behave appropriately, the behavior can interfere with learning for themselves or their peers. There are a few different schools of thought for how to deal with behavior in the classroom. However, in […]

What are my child’s rights: 504 Plan

What are my child’s rights: 504 Plan What Must School Districts Consider at a 504 Meeting? Districts often ask a) what is the student’s mental or physical disability; b) does the student have a medical doctor’s letter to support their disability; c) how, if at all, does the disability impact the student in the educational […]

Do Children Have Rights in Private School?

Do children have rights in private school? Special Needs Children Have Limited Rights in Private School. Public schools (including charter schools) receive federal funding and in exchange for taking that funding, they have to abide by federal laws.  One federal law which public schools have to follow is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”).  The […]

What’s the Difference Between General Ed and Special Ed?

What’s the difference between Special Ed and General Ed? This is a great question which parents are sometimes afraid to ask. The simple answer is that general education is the typical classroom that we think of when we think of school.  Special education is more complicated because it has changed over time.  Years ago before […]

Get Comp Ed for COVID Learning Loss

Get Comp Ed for COVID Learning Loss What Is “Comp Ed”? Compensatory education is a legal concept that has been around for decades but has had renewed interest during COVID-19.  Technically it’s been a legal remedy that may be granted by a judge.  Practically, compensatory education is a tool parents should leverage.  It can make-up […]

How to Get an IEP Assessment

What is an IEP Assessment? Your Right to an Assessment Federal law (the “IDEA”) gives parents a right to a school IEP evaluation.  That right did not change during COVID.  Even if your child is in distance learning 100% of the time, they still have a right to be assessed if they have (or may […]

What’s the Difference Between An IEP and A 504 Plan?

WHat’s the difference between an IEP and a 504 Plan? What’s the Difference? Before I get into the guidance, I just want to give you an ultra mini legal course in the difference between a 504 Plan and an IEP.  An IEP comes from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) and gives very specific […]

If You Think Your Child Has a Learning Disability, Do these 5 things.

If you think your child has a learning disability, do these 5 things. I am a mother and a special-education advocate, and I have dyslexia. Many parents have confided in me that they had a “hunch” that something was not right with their child. More often than not, a parent’s hunch turns out to be […]

Before, During, and After: The IEP Process With and Without an Advocate

IEP meeting

before, during and after: The Iep process with and without an advocate WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE MEETING With An Advocate Review Your IEP Goals A brief phone call or consultation to ensure you’re on the same page. Make sure your advocate has updated information and reports or evaluations. Without An Advocate Review your rights […]

Win in Federal Court for Our Clients!

Today our triplet clients had another huge win against the Miami-Dade County School District – the fourth largest in the country.  We’re so thrilled to report that Judge Joan Lenard of the Federal District Court of the Southern District of Florida denied the school board’s motion to dismiss our case.  Our clients, who won a due […]