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Part 1: Bonnie Yates Talks with Shannon Penrod About the Nuts and Bolts of Your Childs IEP
Bonnie Yates Talks to Shannon Penrod About
the Nuts and Bolts of Your Childs IEP
[slaudio:http://bonnieyates.com/podcasts/IEP_Nuts_ and_Bolts_with_Bonnie_Yates.mp3]
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So You Want to Have a Classroom Observation…
By Heather Zakson, Esq
DEAR DISTRICT …
The first in a series of letters from our firm to school districts, adapted for publication, that address important issues we encounter in our work.
This letter takes on a school district’s refusal to allow a student’s private experts to observe the placement and services proposed for the student, usually referred to as the “offer of FAPE.”
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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-05-09
Thx for the great info! #FF to @bella_leah @KPS4Parents @michaeljcarrasc @Autisable @lend4health Have a great wknd! #
RT @SSDOGS Join us for the Walk for a Healthy Community & help us raise $20,000 to train a service dog http://bit.ly/bTLwub #
RT @healingautism: Improving Social Initiations in Young Children w/Autism using Reinforcers http://bit.ly/crUb3x #
RT [...]
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“Antisocial Networking”
We spend a lot of time in our office thinking about effective ways to teach social skills. In light of this, I found this to be a thought provoking article. New York Times columnist, Hilary Stout , writes about our new age of technology, and how it has shown to stunt psychological growth in many categories. She goes through to explain that today, in 2010, Facebook has taken over the social lives of pre-teens and adolescents.
Psychologists are worried that valued pastimes such as children playing with neighborhood friends are slowly beginning to vanish. Most importantly, they are worried that the nature of friendships and relationships between and from children are changing in ways that are rooted strictly from texting, Facebook, etc.
Stout mentions that the real question is whether heavy social networking is expanding friendships or cutting off important emotional interactions. Many psychologists believe the second idea, and as a result think this technology craze is hurting children’s ability to develop healthy emotional relationships in the long term.
To read the full article from the New York Times, please follow this link:
How Does Technology Affect Kid’s Friendships? By Hilary Stout
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“Where The Bar Ought To Be”
New York Times columnist, Bob Herbert, writes a piece on Deborah Kenny who has created a handful of Charter schools in the Harlem area. Ms. Kenny points out how many people fail to understand what really needs to be focused on when trying to improve our schools. She agrees with the majority that creating a program with a solid core-curriculum, decent class size and other elements are critical.
Yet in this article, we see her position on how it is most important to focus on the passion coming from the teachers and the students in order to create a fruitful environment for the students. Click on the link below to read the full article:
Where The Bar Ought To Be by Bob Herbert
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New Novartis Drug Shows Signs of Hope
New York Times Columnist, Gardiner Harris, writes about the new drug by Novartis shown to improve cases of retardation or autism stemming from fragile X syndrome. Many scientists such as Dr.Thomas R. Insel of the National Institute of Mental Health, viewed rehab the most beneficial treatment for such conditions and not medication. New hope was found after research was conducted with the new Novartis drug.
Dr. Mark C. Fishman reported that the drug definitely showed signs of improvement for many of the patients that were tested. Not only did it show signs of improvement for cases of autism and retardation stemming from fragile X syndrome, but it also showed improvement for those whose’ condition did not stem from it.
The drug has only been tested on adult patients, as Novartis viewed this as a precautionary step. But, one we read on that scientists believe children would probably benefit the most from this drug, as their brains would better react to a change in abilities to perform mentally. Katie Clapp, the president of the Fraxa Research Foundation, says of the Novartis Drug that it “may be the key to solving the mystery of autism and other developmental disorders.”
To read the full article from the New York Times, please follow the link below:
Promise Seen in Drug for Retardation Syndrome By Gardiner Harris
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“Autism Reshaping Grandparent Role, Survey Finds”
Michelle Diament, a columnist for the journal Disability Scoop, goes over the details of a survey conducted by the Interactive Autism Network. This survey is one of the first of its kind, going over the ways in which grandparents are active in their autistic grandchild’s life more ways than expected.
Diament refers to the fact that grandparents usually relocate to be with their grandchild, and make great sacrifices to contribute to the well being of the family life. Most of the grandparents surveyed were said to have been between the ages of 55 and 74.
Although many grandparents are heavily involved, she mentions the survey finds that many grandparents are still in phases of grief. Nevertheless, all grandparents in the survey reported that they actively research Autism and participate in fundraisers or organizations for Autistic children.
To find out more about the statistical data resulting from this survey done by IAN, please follow the link below:
Autism Reshaping Granparent Role, Survey Finds By Michelle Diament
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The Role of the 1:1
Aide in Facilitating Inclusion
When I was in Olympia, WA last month, a special education teacher told me that his District regularly tells parents that children should not have 1:1 aides in a regular ed setting because “a 1:1 aide” is the most restrictive placement.”
I explained to him that such an arrangement had allowed my child to never set foot in a special day class and ultimately matriculate to a four year college, so how was that restrictive?
I understood, though that what he was really asking for was some legal talking points that might help the next time he encountered the argument.
Question: Does the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) disfavor providing a disabled child with a supporting one-to-one aide in a regular education setting on the theory that such is the “most restrictive placement”?
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Looking Ahead: ESY and Summer Programming
For parents of special needs students, knowing that summer is around the corner can be a source of stress and worry. All parents have to think about the quality, cost and availability of summer programming. These concerns are magnified when planning summer activities for children with disabilities.
Here, I try to answer parents’ questions I often encounter about summer
programming. I hope this is helpful to you.
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AB3632 Services
AB3632 is a California law that requires county mental health departments to assess and provide mental health services for special needs students, to the extent that such services are both needed to support the child’s education and are outside the scope of what the District can provide for the student. When a student is eligible for special education or is suspected to need special education and exhibits significant emotional or behavioral characteristics that impede the student’s ability to access his or her education, the district may refer that student to the Department of Mental Health for services under AB3632.
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- Twitter Updates for 2010-08-27
- RT @WOSEP: Remembering Ivar Lo…
- RT @MandyFavaloro: Parents, ma…
- Remembering Ivar Lovaas: http:…
- CARD In-Service event tonight …
- Twitter Updates for 2010-08-24
- Berkeley Aug 26 CARD Quality a…
- Remembering Ivar Lovaas, 83; h…
WE UNDERSTAND Families have enough battles to overcome in everyday life living with special needs children. We know. Many of our staff members are parents of special needs children and have gone through the difficult educational and emotional processes you are experiencing.
A TEAM APPROACH
The Law Offices of Bonnie Z. Yates, Inc. employs a team approach in securing your child's education rights. Our team is composed of attorneys, skilled education professionals and support staff committed to assisting you in obtaining all the education services to which your child is entited.
TO SCHEDULE AN INITIAL FREE PHONE CONSULTATION
If you would like to schedule an initial phone consultation, please fill out our Family Intake Form.
Once completed, our office will call to set up a convenient appointment time with you.
Please call 310-204-6624 for more information. The initial consultation is free.
Bonnie Z Yates
Bonnie Yates is an attorney with over 25 years of experience. In 1994, when her second child was diagnosed with autism, Ms. Yates focused her legal practice exclusively on special education to help her son obtain the educational services he needed. Ms. Yates and her team of lawyers have helped hundreds of children obtain vital educational services.
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Special Education Law
NPS Schools Agencies
IEP Meetings
Disability Discrimination