Special Needs IEP Coach/Advocate

Why the category of Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is a unique category comparative to the other 12.

1) It's the only one where there are multiple potential pathways to "qualify" (Discrepancy, Patterns Strengths/Weaknesses, RTI/MTSS).
2) It's singular in that general education plays a much more central role in addressing the deficits and remediation in conjunction with SPED
3) The professionals central to addressing the deficits are educators comparative to the other 12 categories that are heavily dependent on Diagnostics and multi-tiered supports and varying professional hats.
4) A heavy and intentionally designed interconnectedness between RTI/MTSS, eligibility and instructional methodology used.
5) There are multiple check marks required to ensure that teams are not identifying students impacted by lack of instruction by qualified professionals, emotional disorder, environment, cultural, English as 2nd language, as those impacts may create the appearance of academic struggles yet not a disability or disorder by needed definition or application of the IDEA.
6) SLD comprises the largest amount of IEPs in every state. The learning loss due to the decisions of varying governmental agencies, unions and schools between 2020 and 2022 has created ongoing issues of schools and state education systems lowering the bar and changing the goal posts on what "significant" and "substantial" impact means when it comes to identifying SLD. Thus, contributes to a downward spiral of missing legitimate SLDs due to the depressed scores and standards across the board. This, on top of the reality that between 2020 and 2024, millions of peoples from countries with poor education systems were brought into the United States that automatically require more help, remediation and base instruction in order to bring them to the baseline/expected criteria for entering K-12 students.

As such, there's a tremendous amount of downward pressure from federal and state governments on local schools along with upward pressure from the people within their communities to change (without the full context of all the colliding pressures or directions for fixing it). They also have severe staffing issues connected mainly to compensation, overbearing administration, and the absolute inability to actually "teach" due to all the mandates connected to governmental requirements to high stakes testing and literacy laws. And... there are escalating problems with student behavior and disrespect (most of which is not coming from SPED students).

It makes navigating SLD very difficult and fraught with exciting obstacles few explain or understand.

Call 973-534-3402 to learn the lingo so you can be an equal participant in your child's IEP

Insights...

It's IEP Review time!!

Sorry, I have to post this again. It ha's just been another one of those days🤦‍♀️

If it isn't written, it won't happen!

Parent Coaching/Family Coaching Parent Coaching / Family Coaching You owe it to your child…. Does your family struggle with a behaviorally challenging child? Is everything a battle? Does your child feel unseen, bullied, lac…

Most do not understand or realize the impacts that ESSA (which was once called No Child Left Behind) has on our public education systems, especially Part B of Title I pertaining to the end-of-year State testing. So much unintended damage is done through well intentioned legislation or, in the least, "requirements" dressed up as beneficial when it was pushed by lobbyists, Educrats, and big corporations that create, sell and monitor these end-of-year tests that transfer multi-millions out of each State's education budget.

We've had over 20 years to gauge the benefit and effectiveness of these end-of-year high-stakes tests and in the years that I've been practicing special education law, the damage done and funding lost to multi-national corporations far outweighs any perceived or "real" benefits.

There is an undeniable and damaging impact on the four (4) main subgroups being tracked by the federal government and states (special education, African-American, Latino, Free/Reduced Lunch) that few understand. The individual schools and districts have figured out how to manipulate the process, gerrymander school boundaries to concentrate the one or more of the vulnerable subgroups tracked and use the special education/504 process to remove students from schools or unjustifiably place them on alternative standards. This specific video covers the basics of the potential pros/cons to ESSA Title I Part B.

We rise together and learn together to effectively advocate for our children and our teachers. Knowledge is power and there is a need to learn and understand why and how these end-of-year tests have negatively impacted our teachers and their ability to "teach" and how ongoing compliance to Part B intersects and impacts our children's IEP programs. The content for Advocates University has been a focused work in progress which we are close to launching. In the interim, we will continue to add beneficial and informative content to our Ask A Special Education Attorney pages and YouTube channel.

The interconnectedness and sheer volume of all of the different governmental rules, procedures and laws are now so big and so confusing and conflicting that focusing solely on understanding the IDEA or 504 isn't enough to understand why something isn't working and FAPE can't be provided.

Call now to connect with business.

5 ⭐️ review, thank you Mel!!

I spoke with several advocates before deciding to hire Linda, and I’m so glad I did. She doesn’t just advocate for you — she teaches you how to advocate for your child because she truly wants you to learn and feel empowered. Linda walks you through every step, explains what to do next time, and helps you make sense of things when the school district makes it all feel confusing. She helped us secure an out-of-district placement for our son and truly understood his needs — as well as those of so many different kinds of kids, which is such a gift. She knows special education law inside and out, and she’s smart, kind, and incredibly effective. If you’re looking for someone who will help you get results and feel confident throughout the process, reach out to Linda.

MP