Special Education

A child’s IEP has lots of moving parts including several pieces of paper which can feel confusing and hard to be prepared for their meeting. This fact sheet has tips that can help families be better prepared.

You are your child’s best advocate but we all need help to advocate effectively. This fact sheet has 10 tips that can be helpful.

IEP meetings can be overwhelming with lots of moving parts but it is important that families contribute and partner in the meeting. This checklist has some tips to help families more fully participate in their child’s IEP meeting.

A child with a disability has unique learning needs that need to be addressed as part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) but we may not know what this means. This fact sheet defines what is Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) and gives some examples of what it is and what it is not.

It is always important to be prepared in case of an emergency but this is even more true when you have a child with a disabilities or a special healthcare need. The checklist will help to get you started in developing your plan.

The procedural safeguards notice includes a full explanation of parental rights in an easily understandable manner and in a parent’s native language. This procedural safeguards notice applies to children and families receiving services through an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and to children and youth with disabilities receiving services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

A School Nurse can be a vital member of the IEP team. This short video explains the role of the School Nurse in the development of the IEP and be a vital partner as our children grow and prepare for life after school.

This document, developed by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), details the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.

This guide describes the range of home and community-based services available through Medicaid and can help consumers, families, and health care professionals make informed decisions about long-term care services.

This document contains information about the 5 day rule, documents you should receive from the IEP team before a meeting, and what to do if you do not receive these documents five business days in advance.

This document contains information to help you understand your child’s rights, your rights and responsibilities, and the school’s responsibilities to meet the needs of your child. It also contains a description of the Child Find process, information about evaluation and eligibility, and information about the IEP process.

This document provides tips for preparing for an IEP meeting as well as things to do after the IEP meeting to help you advocate for your child.

This document contains a list of ten important rules to follow when advocating for your child’s special education needs and services at school.

In this document you will find several examples of specific accommodations your child may receive through an IEP or 504 plan to allow access and success in school. The accommodation categories include grading, testing, classroom, and handwriting accommodations.

Here you will find information on the right parents have to Prior Written Notice when a decision is made in an IEP meeting. The document includes when it is necessary and what should be included in Prior Written Notice.

This document will answer questions about accessing yout child’s school records and what rights they have under the IDEA and FERPA laws.

In this document you will find information about how an IEP team makes the decision for eligibility for ESY (Extended School Year).

This detailed checklist will assist you in asking the right questions during your child’s IEP meeting. It covers topics from transition to accommodations to placement.

Learn how the IEP team uses observations while conducting a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) to develop a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) for your child. This document included things that should appear in a behavior plan.