If you listened to the Governor’s broadcast on Thursday, you heard him mention a new grant program offering $1,500 in free tutoring support for students with disabilities.  I did a little digging into the website, and here is what I found…

The Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Education have issued a joint statement which basically wipes out the idea of a traditional graduation ceremony for our high school seniors, and college seniors as well.  We feared this might happen, but now it’s real.  I named my children for this moment…their high school graduation when the principal carefully annunciates their full name – first, middle and last—so regal-sounding,  in front of their peers, teachers, administrators, and proud family members who are hooting and hollering (just like all the other families, despite being told to hold all applause!).  Okay, well maybe I didn’t pick their names just for graduation, but I definitely thought about how it would sound as they crossed that stage.  When else do we use their full name other than when we’re yelling at them?!  And now, due to the pandemic, that long awaited moment will not come to fruition.  Instead, we may be attending a virtual graduation or watch a masked, gloved administrator hand them their diploma through the car window like an order at McDonalds (minus the fries).   As the mom of a current high school senior, the graduation cancellation hit hard.  I was particularly looking forward to my son’s graduation because, for the first months of his life when he was in the NICU, I wasn’t sure he would graduate.  And for the first few years of elementary school, when he needed loft strand crutches to walk, I wasn’t sure he’d be able

This is an unbelievable time. We are embarking on uncharted territory as COVID-19 affects everything from small businesses, to taxes, elections, sporting events, and even the supply and demand of toilet paper. With mandated school closures across Ohio and much of the country, families, administrators, and lawmakers are scrambling to put procedures together and are trying to figure out what this means for our special education students. As with most important social issues, there are strong voices on both sides.

US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S GUIDANCE
The US Department of Education has issued several documents, regarding the applicability of a public school’s obligation to provide a FAPE and deliver IEP/504 Plan services during the pendency of this global crisis. Here are some of the main points:

• If a school closes and is NOT providing ANY educational services to any of its students (general education or special education), then they are NOT required to provide services to students on IEPs/504 plans. If a student with disabilities doesn’t receive services for “an extended period of time,” the team must determine if compensatory services are appropriate.
• IEP/504 teams are NOT required to meet in person while schools are closed. 
• Evaluations that must be done in person should be delayed until school reopens. If the evaluations don’t need to be done in person, they can take place during school closure if the parent consents. 

Click here for USDOE’s fact sheet.

COPAA’s OPPOSITION
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), a non-profit group whose

We find ourselves in unprecedented times, with schools closed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. It can be overwhelming and uncertain, but as your trusted advocate, I am here to help guide you through the process and provide the best information I can.

Here is what I can tell you right now.

1. This has never happened before, so we all need to take a pause and figure out how we can tackle this together.
2. There is no ‘one size fits all’ plan, or specific answers regarding your child’s IEP.
3. Each school response or plan for education while closed will vary. Some schools are on an extended spring break, others are offering a digital platform or support via telephone or Skype, and some have implemented specialized curriculum-based instructional activities.
4. You should not demand extra services, but you can and should ask for them if your child needs them to access the educational platform that is being provided to all students. As an initial first step, email your child’s teacher asking how to support your child’s educational needs while he or she is at home.
5. Remember you are not alone.

Right now, there are many questions and not a lot of answers, because this has never happened before. So, let’s all take a pause and figure out how we can tackle this together. My role is to be your trusted guide, keeping you informed regarding procedure while focusing on your child’s individual needs and your academic concerns.  I’ll update you

In formulating an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for your child with a disability, a good Evaluation Team Report (ETR) is crucial. The ETR drives the IEP, which allows your child to succeed in their educational environment. The following are some tips on how to use that ETR as your guide throughout the IEP process.

Category of Eligibility Isn’t Everything: Sometimes, there is a lengthy discussion with the team as to which category of eligibility will be listed on the ETR to qualify the student for services.  When the team doesn’t agree on the category, parents worry that the “wrong label” will prevent their child from getting the appropriate services.  They assume that the category of disability on the ETR determines what services their child will receive; fortunately, that’s not true.  For example, a student might qualify under specific learning disability but still have identified fine motor needs that can also be addressed in the IEP. There is no cookie-cutter IEP or one set of goals for each category of eligibility.  Each child is unique and therefore has his own unique needs.  The category of eligibility just gets them through the door toward an IEP.  It’s the needs identified in the ETR that are going to drive the IEP, not the category.

Review that ETR:  A good ETR will identify all of the student’s disability-related needs.   Before the IEP meeting, you should go through that ETR with a highlighter marker and highlight all identified areas of need in the

The Children and Young Adult Services department at The Cleveland Sight Center recognizes the difference between accommodations and modifications when teaching students who have low vision using the general education curriculum alongside their peers.  Sylvia Snyder, the Director, has generously shared some helpful resources:

Accommodations and Modifications at a Glance

The Michigan Vision Services Severity Rating Scale

Expanded Core Curriculum Subjects and Skills

Assistive Technology

PR-07 IEP Form – Children with Visual Impairments

We recently welcomed Rachel Avner Torrance of Accessing Abilities Behavioral and Educational Consulting to our Cleveland office to discuss Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with a small group of parents.  She spoke to us about the importance of a proper and thorough functional behavioral assessment in developing a positive behavior plan.  Here are some of our key takeaways:

ABA is a systematic, scientific approach of looking at environmental variables that impact socially significant behavior in order to develop procedures to change or reshape the unwanted behaviors.  ABA is used for children with Autism, but it is also very beneficial for a much wider spectrum of disabilities, including ADHD and anxiety.  ABA is used to teach new skills, build independence, and address behaviors that get in the way with learning, socializing or meeting life goals.

One must be a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst in order to implement ABA in private settings, but school personnel do not have to be board certified in order to implement ABA in schools.  All BCBA’s must have a master’s level degree, but Ohio requires state-level certification for BCBAs, as well. This certification is called COBA: Certified Ohio Behavior Analyst. BCBA-D indicates that the behavior analyst has a doctoral level of education; a BCaBA is a certified assistant, who must have a bachelor’s degree; and an RBT is a registered behavior technician with a high school degree.

Reinforcement is a key component to changing behaviors in positive behavior plan.  It follows the response and helps to create repeat