When the Bus Stops Coming . . . then what?
As parents of children who have IEPs, it feels like we are always thinking about what’s next—next IEP, next placement, next school, next teacher/team. . . . But do we think…
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Preparing for the Annual IEP: Parent Tips
It’s spring and it’s the magical time of year when many of us have IEP meetings. Even if an annual IEP isn’t scheduled, many times there are spring meetings to…
DetailsMiddle School–Tips for the Transition
The tender ages of 11 to 13 may seem anything but tender, especially at the beginning of the school year. Instead, the middle school child is an unstable mixture of…
DetailsFive-Day Rule
Maryland law (HB 596) requires school personnel to provide parents with an accessible copy of each assessment, report, data chart, draft Individualized Education Program (IEP), or other document(s) the IEP…
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“Just a Bad Day” or Undocumented Suspension?
There are many reasons why students are sent home. The purpose of this article is not to debate when an incident is ‘send-home’ worthy or ‘suspension’ worthy. Rather, it is…
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HCPSS Behavior Specialists
Each Howard County public school is assigned a behavior specialist. In order to access the behavior specialist, the special education team leader (or instructional team leader) at your school should…
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Understanding the Important Difference between “Accommodations” & “Modifications”
Meeting after meeting, parents and teachers use the words “accommodation” and “modification” almost interchangeably when discussing IEPs and student needs. Yet the terms are vastly different. If understood and used…
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Overview of High Stakes Testing
With ever-increasing pressure on school systems to improve educational results, high stakes testing is a particularly important and controversial issue. In many school districts and states, mandated tests measure student…
DetailsTransition Planning Manual
The transition from school to adulthood requires careful planning. The Transition Planning Manual written by Parents for Parents for the Autism Society of Maryland provides important information on the parent’s…
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A Parent’s Guide to Assessment
The formal assessment process can be daunting for parents of children with autism. By using highly technical language and focusing on “deficit performance,” assessments can often overwhelm and dishearten parents.…
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