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Common Core presents consistently implemented education standards for students to excel in curriculum ranging from math to English language. However, as Mary Hyink discovered, applying Common Core standards for special education students poses a few challenges. Mary teaches math to 6th grade students that include special needs children who benefit from federal special education laws. […]

Many special education students require prescribed medications to help learn the same curriculum taught to general education students. Prescribed medications for learning disorders such as ADHD requires monitoring to ensure students remain healthy. As the result of an increasing number of special education students integrating into the general student classroom, states and the federal government […]

In 1982, the United States Supreme Court hand down its first and most important legal interpretation of the landmark Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Board of Education v. Rowley settled several unclear legal doctrines, including the clarification of what “free and appropriate education” (FAPE) means. The Meaning of Free and Appropriate Education The Supreme […]

The amount of statutory guidance that addresses the special education needs of students can overwhelm parents. Just ask Eric Halluska. “It was hard enough to figure out why my daughter struggled in school,” Eric said in a recent interview. “What’s worse is trying to figure out how to help her blend in with the other […]

Parents who have children with physical and/or learning disabilities have a difficult time finding a public school that offers all of the services a special needs kid requires to thrive in a classroom. Federal law mandates public schools must offer tailored special education service programs for students who suffer from a wide variety of disabilities. […]

Parents raising a child who has special needs might need to work with a special education attorney to ensure the child receives the services he or she requires. The first priority involves establishing a professional relationship with the teachers and administrators involved in educating students who possess one or more learning disabilities. However, relationships between […]

Parents who raise a child who possesses one or more disabilities should try to seek accommodations to help the child learn by working with the educators and administrators employed by the school. However, some cases force parents to seek legal help by contacting a special education attorney. Hiring a special education attorney requires parents to […]

Mark Mandernach was frustrated that his daughter Susan did not qualify as a disabled student under state and/or federal laws. Mark tried everything allowed legally to help his daughter receive the services she needed to thrive in the public education system. “I literally exhausted every legal channel,” Mark related in an interview. “It was frustrating […]

When it was time for Janice Payton to enroll her special need daughter in an elementary school, the mother of five was concerned about the education accommodations offered by the school. “I had no idea at the time that my daughter was eligible to receive special accommodations for her learning disability,” said Janice during an […]

Special education laws at the state and federal level give special needs children and their parents numerous legal rights. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) represents the legal backbone for federal special education law. An Overview of IDEA IDEA mandates school districts must test or assess the special education needs of eligible children. Parents have […]