Question
I am a new mom of a son with Down syndrome. Our pediatrician’s office gave me some information about resources available to our family and I have become involved with our local Down Syndrome Association chapter. I met some other parents who have shared some suggestions, but I want to make sure I do everything possible to allow my son to thrive. What should I be considering as he grows up?
Before Sharing Your Concerns with the School District, Create a Non-Emotional Timeline
Different family members have different versions of the same story. Grandma may tell a
very different tale from Mom or Dad. My job is to listen for the underlying thread, and pinpoint
the base of the concern, helping them to see things through each other’s perspective. Then, I give
families the assignment of going home and creating a Non-Emotional Timeline.
For any meeting on a child’s education to be successful, parents must be prepared. The first step is to understand both the basic terminology and process of how documents such as IEPs are created. The following are some suggested steps to help you be prepared for these meetings.
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Ohio’s new budget, signed by Governor DeWine this summer, includes a long-overdue increase in the Autism Scholarship amount. Currently a qualifying student can access $27,000 in scholarship dollars under the Autism Scholarship, but that amount will climb to $31,500 in October and $32,455 in 2022. It is not a huge jump, but every dollar helps.
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The Ohio Department of Health just revised its COVID Guidance for the 2021-22 School Year. Here are some of the big-ticket items stemming from this 13-page document:
Social media is something I did not have to worry about as a kid, but it’s a very different story today. Every silly, embarrassing or inappropriate thing that a kid posts on social media can be instantly shared with hundreds, sometimes thousands or millions, with the tap of a finger. It immediately becomes part of their permanent record that could come back to haunt them when they’re looking to get a job, get accepted into college, and it can get them into trouble at school.
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As the school year is starting to wrap up, we know you super planners are already thinking ahead to next year and making sure that things get off to a good start for your child. Summer is a great time to sit back and review your documents, get organized, ask questions, do your research, make your plan, and gear up for 2021-22!
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Graduation season is nearly upon us as high school seniors across the state are making plans for their next adventure. If you have a disability and choose to go on to college, there are additional steps required, both in choosing the right university and in seeing that your needs are met.
I’m talking to you, the student, not your parent. You’re likely 18 now and a legal adult, so it’s your turn to take the lead and pave the way to the future you’ve dreamed of. The college will be communicating directly with you, not your parents, from now on. If you want your parents involved, you’ll need to forward them all the information along the way. That may be a big change for you because, up until now, your parents had the power to make decisions about your education and the school had a legal obligation to see that your needs were met (follow your IEP or 504, ensure that you made progress, etc.) College is different – you must ask for what you need, and provide proof, before they’re required to provide it.
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Many of you are probably getting notices about parent-teacher conferences approaching. We know it’s yet another thing to add to your already busy schedule, but we highly encourage you to participate! Even if the parent-teacher conference is a virtual planform it still can be productive.
Conferences are your opportunity to gather data and feedback in between progress reports, which typically come out every nine weeks. Nine weeks is a long stretch if things aren’t going well. You’ll want to discover problems sooner rather than later so that changes can be made. COVID has made school more difficult for sure, but the school is still obligated, under IDEA law, to meet your child’s needs and make sure that he or she is making adequate progress in light of his or her unique circumstances. Keep your eye on your child’s progress!
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We are 28 days into the new year… have you maintained your New Year’s Resolution? It’s tough to form new habits! Well, if you haven’t kept your resolution and you’re looking for a quick way to redeem yourself and feel productive, I have an idea for you: resolve to make a plan for your family through special needs estate planning. This can include a will, special needs/family trust, powers of attorney, and other related documents.
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The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) has latched on to a new term: “recovery services.” This term is being used to describe services they’re giving students to help bridge educational gaps in learning caused by COVID-related school closures. How is this different from compensatory services? I was quite confused by ODE’s explanation, but I think this is what they’re trying to say…
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Recently, we have been receiving inquiries from parents who are worried that their children with disabilities won’t be able to go back to school because of the new mask mandate issued by Governor DeWine. The order requires all students in grades K-12 to wear a mask at school. But, as we all know, there is a fairly small group of students who, because of their disabilities, simply cannot wear a mask all day, if at all. Governor DeWine’s mandate specifically exempts these students:
There is a lot of talk about masks for persons with asthma, but you’ll notice that asthma alone is not a qualifier. In a joint letter from Ohio Children’s Hospital Association and American Academy of Pediatrics, which the Governor references, it states, “Specifically, asthma, allergies and sinus infections are not a contraindication for using a face covering/mask.” That is not to say that someone with asthma couldn’t qualify for an exemption based on one of the scenarios itemized above.
If you believe your child falls into one of the exemptions provided by the Governor, reach out to a school administrator right away. Tell
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