by Wrightslaw Social skill is not a “service” but a functional skill necessary for daily living activities. Your child’s IEP must include a description of her Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance. This means what her strengths and weaknesses are – both in academics and in functional areas like social skills.

By Kristin Stanberry When you have your IEP meeting, the team at school will share all sorts of information about your child. But there are certain insights that only you can provide. And they are important to share with the team.

By Patricia Howey Record Your IEP Concerns in a Written Opinion IDEA 2004 specifically allows you to submit your concerns to the IEP Team. One way to record your concerns is to use a written opinion.

Produced by the Maryland Disability Law Center “Advocating for ESY services for a student is similar to advocating for a regular school year IEP for a student. The program must be individualized to meet the student’s needs and it must be provided at no cost to the family. The salient question to be answered, however, is a little different.

Presentation by Patti Mackey, Educational Consultant Sponsored by the HCPSS Family Resource and Support Center Dec. 8, 2015

Friendship Circle Believe it or not, you should be getting notes home regarding setting up parent teacher conferences for your children any day now. This means that report card time is also quickly approaching. For parents of children with special needs, who have an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), you should also be receiving progress reports for your…

By Suzanne Whitney, Research Editor, Wrightslaw In this article, you’ll learn about requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act for your child’s involvement in and progress in the general education curriculum.

You can request an IEP meeting at any time. You can ask that the IEP be changed at any time. The fact that you consented to the IEP does not mean you are stuck with it – or that it is appropriate for an entire year.

By Ann McCarthy When problems with social skills impact your child’s success in school, addressing them should become part of the IEP. Write objectives to improve social skills as you would for academic skills. Once objectives exist in the IEP, your child’s team must provide explicit instruction to achieve them

By Doug Goldberg This article will help you truly prepare for your next IEP meeting.