Workshops, Links & Glossary

Upcoming Workshops

Check back during the school year for information on workshops

Links

Gina Miller Consulting, LLC

Gina Miller offers a variety of support for families who have students with special needs. For the past four years, Gina has been a leader in transition for students beginning at 16 years old. She has presented to several community groups in the areas of pre-employment skills training, independent living skills, adult program facilitation, and writing transition plans. Gina looks forward to supporting students and their families.

http://www.ginamillerconsulting.com

The following are links to help you understand your rights and the special education process.

http://www.wrightslaw.com: Premier sight for Special Education Law and Advocacy
http://www.mhac.org/advocacy/other_efforts.cfm: AB 88 Parity Law, mandates that insurance companies provide coverage for mental health treatment.
http://www.insurancehelpforautism.com: Insurance coverage for services related to Autism, also covers AB 88.

Glossary of Terms

Accommodations: Changes in how test is administered that do not substantially alter what the test measures; includes changes in presentation format, response format, test setting or test timing. Appropriate accommodations are also made to level the playing field, i.e., to provide equal opportunity to demonstrate knowledge in the classroom.
Cumulative File: All documents relating to your child's general education. It includes Star Testing, report cards, communication between the parents and school. This file resides at your child's school.
FAPE: Free appropriate public education; special education and related services provided in conformity with an IEP; are without charge, and meets standards of the state department of education.
IDEA: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
IEP: An Individualized Education Plan is a legal document developed by a team including the parents, special education representatives and teachers. Services paid through the district's special education fund.
Least Restrictive Environment: Requirement to educate special needs children with children who are not disabled to the maximum extent possible.
Mainstreaming: Practice of placing special needs children in regular classroom for at least a part of the children's educational program.
Modifications: Substantial changes in what the student is expected to demonstrate; includes changes in instructional level, content, and performance criteria, may include changes in test form or format; includes alternate assessments.
Related Services: Services that are necessary for child to benefit from special education; includes speech-language pathology and audiology services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, counseling, orientation and mobility services, school health services, social work services, parent counseling and training.
Section 504: Protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination due to disability by recipients of federal financial assistance, ie: public schools. A 504 is a General Education Plan that is a legal document developed by a team including parents and representatives from the student's school, funded through general education.
Special Education: Specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability.
Special Education File: All documents relating to your child's IEP. It includes the IEP's, assessments, communication between the parents and the Districts' Special Education Department. This file resides at your district office.
SST: Student Study Team, may be offered as an alternative to or before an IEP assessment. May suggest various classroom accommodations, but does not produce a legal binding document.