With ever-increasing pressure on school systems to improve educational results, high stakes testing is a particularly important and controversial issue. In many school districts and states, mandated tests measure student…
The formal assessment process can be daunting for parents of children with autism. By using highly technical language and focusing on “deficit performance,” assessments can often overwhelm and dishearten parents.…
Extended School Year (ESY) is the continuation of certain Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals related to critical life skills beyond the regular school year. ESY services will vary in intensity,…
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) provides parents with procedural protections when a disagreement arises over the identification, evaluation, placement, or program of their child regarding special education…
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, including federal funds. The Section 504…
The Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) provides the foundation of family-centered early intervention services. The IFSP is an agreement between you and the local Infants and Toddlers Program regarding the…
If the child is determined to be a child with a disability, an IEP is developed by the school staff with input from the parents within 30 days of the…
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a consortium of states working together to develop a common set of K-12 assessments in English and math…
The Maryland High School Assessments (HSAs) are four tests—one each in algebra/data analysis, biology, government, and English—that students must pass to graduate. All students who entered 9th grade in or…
In Maryland, students with disabilities participate in either the Maryland School Assessment (MSA) in reading, mathematics and science (with or without accommodations, as appropriate) or in the Alternate Maryland School…
