Since the mid 1970s, federal law has mandated that students with special needs be given access to the same free, public education as other children their age. With the passage of that law, the model of special education turned from one of exclusion (and even institutionalization) to one of inclusion. On paper, this means that special education students should receive whatever help, support and individualized attention they need in order to keep pace with their classmates to the extent possible. The ultimate goal of many special education teachers is to have their students learn alongside their ..read more

As we have said before on our blog, schools that receive federal funding, whether they're here in California or in another state, are required by law to help students with disabilities get a proper education. From individualized education plans, or IEPs, to other accommodations, schools do have resources they can tap into to make this happen. When a student moves around a lot though -- whether because of their parent's inability to find consistent housing or because of military service -- teachers and school districts may face the challenge of maintaining IEP goals or providing consistent atte ..read more

Because charter schools are typically formed by teachers, parents and people within a community, some people assume that these schools do not have to follow the same rules as public schools. It's believed that some charter schools even practice "soft discrimination" by turning away children with disabilities and special needs in exchange for students who can bring test scores up and bring the school more funding. These assumptions are not without merit now because of lawsuits brought by parents in Louisiana and Florida against charter schools that allegedly barred special needs students from a ..read more

An encouraging fact can be seen by looking at federal data concerning graduation rates in the United States. According to 2013 data -- the most recent year available -- the graduation rate among students with disabilities has risen by 2.9 percent over the last two years. A student with disabilities, which can include behavioral disorders as well as speech impairments, is more likely to graduate now than they did in the past. But this good news is quickly overshadowed when you consider the fact that the graduation rate among disabled students is significantly less than the national average. Whi ..read more

Imagine for a moment that you are a parent here in Santa Cruz who has a child who has just started kindergarten. After a few weeks, your child's teacher pulls you in for a meeting and expresses concerns about your child's behaviors in class. They seem impulsive when it comes to making decisions which tends to disrupt classroom activities. Your child also demonstrates aggressive behaviors and tends to lash out at people, particularly when they become frustrated. Based on the teacher's professional opinion, your child has an emotional behavior disorder. But if you're like a lot of new parents ac ..read more

All but seven states and Puerto Rico have adopted the Common Core State Standards Initiative, including California. Lawmakers and other interested parties designed this initiative to ensure that students across the country are meeting certain standards for math and English language arts. The initiative has been met with both support and criticism from many different parties. Where special education students are concerned, the debate is just as divisive. Some teachers and parents wholly support the effort, while others say it is damaging to children's education and their self-esteem. In support ..read more

In recent years, more and more parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children because of the belief that some vaccines -- particularly the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine -- may cause autism or other developmental impairments. Although countless studies have proven this belief to be unfounded, many parents are still refusing to vaccinate their children before sending them to school. Although the personal beliefs exemption does allow California parents to do this for medical, religious and/or philosophical reasons, many other parents as well as the state consider this choice to be ..read more

If you have a child who is currently enrolled in school, chances are you are aware of the fact that schools take truancy from class very seriously. In California, if a student misses more than 30 minutes of class, they are considered tardy. If the student misses class and does not produce a valid excuse from a parent, then the truancy becomes an unexcused absence. Three or more truancies in a school year can result in the intervention from school administrators and a meeting with the student's parents. The more unexcused absences and truancies that accumulate, the more likely a student will be ..read more

When most people think of the education system, they see a system that strives for excellence through standardized lesson plans that seem to have a one-size-fits-all regimen. While this might work for a majority of students, these types of lesson plans aren't always the best fit for students with disabilities. Lesson plans that don't tailor to their specific needs can cause the child's education to suffer, which can greatly handicap them down the road. It's because of this very reason that federal law requires all schools -- whether they be private, public or charter schools -- to provide spec ..read more

Did you know that in 1975, Congress promised to give schools in the nation additional funds so that accommodations could be made for students with special education needs? The additional funds were supposed to account for 40 percent of the "excess" cost of these accommodations, providing schools with the resources they need to provide special needs students with the education they deserve. Unfortunately, "the federal government has never paid more than 20 percent," explains a Feb. 19 article in Ed Source, leaving school districts and the state to foot most of the bill for education. Special ed ..read more