Tag Archives: special education

The Sequester Will Affect Special Education – Part 3

This is the third, and final, blog in my series that gives details about how the sequester will affect your state this year. These cuts will go into affect on March 1, 2013, (unless Congress prevents that from happening). Minnesota * Loss of $7 million in funding for primary and secondary education * 100 teacher and aide jobs at risk * Additional loss of $9.2 million in funds for 110 teachers, aides, and staff who help kids with disabilities Mississippi * Loss of $5,486,000 in funding for primary and secondary education * 80 teacher and aide jobs at risk * … Continue reading →

The Sequester Will Affect Special Education – Part 2

On March 1, 2013, a series of automatic cuts will take effect (unless Congress does something to prevent it). This is called the sequester. Here are more details about how the sequester will affect Special Education in your state this year. Georgia * Loss of $28.6 million in funding for primary and secondary education * 390 teacher and aide jobs at risk * Additional loss of $17.5 million in funds for 210 teachers, aides, and staff who help kids with disabilities. Hawaii * Loss of $4.7 million in funding for primary and secondary education * 60 teacher and aide jobs … Continue reading →

The Sequester Will Affect Special Education

Scan through the news this week, and you are sure to find the word “sequester” popping up a lot. If Congress cannot manage to come to an agreement about how to balance the budget, it will result in a lot of funding cuts beginning on March 1, 2013. Here is a quick roundup of how those cuts will affect Special Education this year. The source for this data comes from WhiteHouse.gov. Alabama * Loss of $11 million in funding for primary and secondary education * 150 teacher and aide jobs at risk * Additional loss of $9 million in funds … Continue reading →

An Unacceptable Use of Duct Tape

Duct tape has been used to fix many things, and has dozens of uses. One thing that duct tape should never be used on, however, is a child’s shoes, especially if the purpose was to prevent the child from removing the shoes while she was at school. Sadly, this really did happen. Westlake Elementary School is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Nate and Elizabeth Searcy have two children who were attending the school: their son, Riley, who is six years old, and their daughter Shaylyn, who is eight years old. Shaylyn has Down Syndrome. On Monday, February 4, 2013, the Searcy’s … Continue reading →

Parent Argues for Use of Isolation Room

This is quite the opposite of what usually happens! Typically, news articles have stories where parents of a child who has special needs make a case against the use of a “scream room”. This time, however, a parent is pointing out why she wants her children, who have autism, to be able to have access to a safe, soft, isolation room. Some schools use isolation rooms as part of their Special Education program. The rooms have been referred to by some as “scream rooms”, because the child placed inside is screaming. This time, we have a parent who is explaining … Continue reading →

Special Ed Student Wins Judgement Against Atlanta Public Schools

A recent court case where a federal judge ordered Atlanta Public Schools to pay for the private education of a misdiagnosed student is just one of many of the victimizations of public school students that happened on a regular basis. When Mr. Draper was in fourth grade, he was evaluated to be mentally retarded, and so they did not teach him. It turns out that he is merely dyslexic. This happens far too often. My oldest stepsister had an injury that affected her speech as a baby. She stayed in Special Ed programs her entire school career. Still, she managed … Continue reading →

The Ladder of Cognitive Skills for Special Needs Kids

It’s often useful to keep in mind the kinds of skills we should be helping our special kids master as they grow and develop. The following steps are general guidelines you can use as you direct your child through floor time play at home, special education in the classroom, and social interactions with friends and family. As you read the following list, try to determine which steps your child has mastered and which ones need additional focus. Often times the child has a mixture of abilities and challenges on every rung of the ladder. And remember that in order for … Continue reading →

ADHD, Middle School, and Those Two Dirty Words

We were on a long drive, and I was trying to gather up the courage to tell my husband something. I knew it would be a little bit touchy, and I wanted to approach the issue in just the right way. After all, it was about his oldest daughter–my stepdaughter–and I knew he had very tender feelings for her. And I’d have to use two dirty words: special education. For months I had watched Sunni drown in her middle school classes. To read my previous blog on this story, click here. Despite working with her, meeting with teachers, and enrolling … Continue reading →

Ten Ways to Help Your Child with Asthma Succeed in School

A child with asthma is eligible for special education, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). Some parents don’t realize that their son or daughter with asthma can receive special accommodations in the classroom to help him or her have a better experience in school. “Special Education” does not only apply to children with learning disabilities and developmental delays. Children with chronic illnesses also have the right to receive an education in an environment that is sympathetic to their needs. Here are ten accommodations which can be made in the classroom to help your asthmatic … Continue reading →

Four Roadblocks to Learning

Is your child struggling with school? Does he or she seem to be drowning in work without making much progress? Sometimes the real cause of a child’s failure to thrive academically is simply the teaching methods employed at school. Here are four “roadblocks” which can interfere with a child’s ability to learn effectively. As you analyze your child’s progress, watch for these barriers: 1. World of Worksheets. Chances are, if you examine an average classroom at a random time of the day, you’ll see children sitting at desks completing worksheets. Worksheets seem to come tumbling down from the ceiling, filling … Continue reading →