Decoding Learning Differences with Kimberlynn Lavelle

Last week we went through all the steps of GETTING an IEP for your kiddo, but another common question is around how to keep the school from taking that IEP away.

Every three years, the school district must determine if your child is still “eligible” for an IEP and while this brings updated information, it can also mean that the school may recommend “exiting” your child from special education/ an IEP.

And that’s amazing news!  Your child is doing so well that the school thinks your kiddo will be just fine without an IEP!

Take a moment to celebrate your child’s successes (even if you disagree!).

And if you disagree and don’t want your child exited?

Watch the video or download the audio for this week’s episode where we discuss your options and my recommendations.

Many families assume that a school will recognize if their child is struggling and will assess them and put them on an IEP if that is needed, all without the parents saying anything.  And, honestly, that’s how it’s supposed to work.  For many children, that is exactly how it does work.

However, for many other kids, their needs get brushed aside and they are never assessed, and never put onto an IEP unless a parent or guardian steps in and advocates for them.

So how do you get your child an IEP?

First, write a letter to the school (all the details are in the episode).  Then, be sure that your school follows the law and responds correctly.  Too many schools don’t know the law and unintentionally break it all the time.  Oops!

Get all the details by listening to this week’s episode!

Sometimes, we need a second opinion.  

If you’re feeling that the school’s report didn’t find give you the answers you needed regarding why your child is struggling, you might need a second opinion.

And the beauty of the system is that you can request an IEE that is free of charge to you.

I don’t encourage the use of this option for most people, as it is a big expense to school districts and we’d probably have them use that money to actually educate our children and their teachers well.

Click here to watch the video or download the audio for this week’s podcast!

Do you have concerns about your child’s IEP reports?

Are Accommodations the most important part of an IEP?

Last week we dove into the importance of well-written IEP goals and this week we’re going to another section of the IEP.

The Accommodations section of an IEP is, for many kids, the single most important section of their IEP!

For kids who are able to understand and participate in grade level content, accommodations may be the thing keeping them in a general education class all day long, feeling successful and knowing that they are rocking it!

For kids who struggle a bit more, accommodations are still allowing them to see their own areas of genius and feel good about themselves.

Click here to watch the video or download the audio for this week’s podcast!

Then go check your kid’s accommodations.  Are they crystal clear to you?  Do they need some explanation (and therefore, a rewrite)?

Let me know!

When we’re looking at IEP goals, we don’t want just an emotional impression of what we think the IEP is supposed to guide.  We need it to be crystal clear so that there is no confusion as to whether or not a child met that IEP goal.

Those goals need to leave no room for interpretation.  If 2 different teachers both read that goal, will they use entirely different methods of measurement?  If so, the results will likely be vastly different.

Unfortunately, many special education teachers are never taught how to write really good goals.  They get barely any guidance at all and even the “goal banks” that the teachers use are full of poorly written goals.

Click here to watch the video for this week’s podcast!

Then go check your kid’s goals.  Are they crystal clear to you?  Do they need some explanation (and therefore a rewrite)?

Let me know!

When it comes to IEPs, knowing how to read them helps us know where to look to find the important stuff within them.  

An IEP document 30 years ago was 2 pages long.  Now IEPs are often more than 30 pages long.  They can be so large and overwhelming that many parents need help looking them over, understanding them, and knowing if the IEP is providing what their child needs.

While I actually love analyzing IEPs and doing consultations with families, I also want to help everyone understand IEPs better so that everyone can make an educated decision when it comes to their child’s IEP.

Click here to watch or download the audio for this week’s episode: IEP tips: Parts of an IEP.

Next week we’ll start going deeper into some of the most important parts of an IEP to help you analyze them in more detail.  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Communication is really important to ANY relationship.  Most conflict seems to stem from miscommunication, misunderstanding, or lack of communication.

And when there is conflict around your child’s IEP, your child is not benefiting.  Communicate regularly with the entire IEP team!

Listen for more details on how and when and where and why and what to communicate with who!

You can watch the video here!

knowing what to bring to a particular event/trip is critically important to the trip’s success (and some things are out of our control).

When it comes to attending an IEP meeting, don’t show up empty-handed and clueless!  There are specific items you can and should bring with you for an optimally successful IEP meeting.

Click here to watch or listen to this week’s podcast episode and get all the details!

Ultimately, the answer to this question is personal and depends greatly on your particular situation.

Listen or Watch the video to find out what you should consider when trying to decide if it's time to hire an advocate or a lawyer, and what to look for if you do decide to hire one.

Learn more at www.DecodingLearningDifferences.com!

This week’s episode is the first interview of the season!  And to kick us off, we’re bringing back Dr. Victoria Waller!

Last week we discussed how to set your child up for optimal learning and one of the key pieces to that is to make learning pleasant or even fun, and this week Dr. Vicki will give us plenty of ideas to get us started engaging our kids’ love of learning and creative spirit.

Click on over to get the free PDF: “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It”, full of fun and creative ways to engage your child’s learning!

Watch or listen to the podcast, download the PDF, and buy Dr. Waller’s book!