Organize all that paperwork In the world of special education, there are lots of meetings, paperwork, and documentation. Try to keep a family calendar of school events, special education meetings, conferences, etc. Setting up a binder or folder to keep your child’s special education documentation, meeting notices, and IEPs in sequential order can also help …

3 Underserved and Overlooked Student Populations in Public Schools  When it comes to equity in education, we often think of ethnic and racial minorities, students with disabilities, or students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. However, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to equity. There are many student populations that can use extra resources. This blog post explores some …

By Dr. Ford The stories in the cookbook are packed with ways that the neurodiverse students benefit! However, in summary our culinary arts program provides critical life skill instruction, an outlet for creativity and an opportunity for students to gather in community. We decided to collaborate with a celebrity chef quite simply to elevate the …

By Dr. Ford Some kids take to learning like peanut butter and jelly. Others, more like oil and water. For teachers, witnessing an incredibly smart kid sitting in the back fidgeting with their pen, staring off into space, or being distracted with their cell phone is frustrating. Equally as frustrating? Wanting your kid to do …

When your child/student, is feeling emotional or upset, what can we do to help? Be the regulator – the adult stays CALM. Calming voice, soothing, eye contact, be a comfort, relaxed body posture, NO yelling Don’t use too many words. Give the student wait time Model deep breathing (in through the nose, out through the …

This is true for people with and without disabilities. You need to make money if you want to live an independent life. Money isn’t the only reason people want to work. We like to work to meet new people, stay busy, and feel good about ourselves. Finding a job or picking a career can be …

Set aside designated “family time” a few times a week for everyone! Yes, everyone! This means all family members who live in the same household. Family time means screens are put away and we have structured conversation. Hmmm, what does this look like? It could be over the dinner table or sitting around the living …

Many parents and teachers say, “Go to your room (or to the corner) and think about what you did.” Many parents are used to the approach to addressing behavior because that was the way they were parented. Most adults do not realize that children are constantly making decisions about themselves, about their world, and based …

Have you heard of extended school year services, but aren’t sure what they are or what qualifies a student with special needs for them? We’ve got answers for you. If you have a child with an IEP and you’re curious about extended school year services, here’s the deal: You might be able to get Extended …

Functional skills are skills a student needs to live independently. An important goal of special education is for our students to gain as much independence and autonomy as possible, whether their disability is emotional, intellectual, physical, or a combination of two or more (multiple) disabilities. Skills are defined as functional if the outcome supports the student’s …