Navigating the process of getting your child an Individualized Education Program (IEP) can be a confusing process for families. Illinois does provide a guide for families, and Illinois PTA has covered the 10 common mistakes parents make during the IEP process. The special education parent blog, A Day in Our Shoes, has a wonderful resource … Continue reading Printable List Provides Over 500 Accommodations for an IEP or 504 Plan
Help ADHD Students Concentrate by Letting Them Fidget
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 11% of children ages 4 to 17 have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as of 2011, and rates of diagnosis have increased an average of 5% per year from 2003 to 2011. Many of these students have 504 Plan or Individualized Education Plan … Continue reading Help ADHD Students Concentrate by Letting Them Fidget
On My Way to Parent-Teacher Conferences: Recalculating
Parent-Teacher conferences are coming up for many schools. Judy Hutchinson is a Family Consumer Specialist with the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Mental Health (DMH) Child & Adolescent Services who has been a guest blogger for One Voice Illinois before. Today she shares a personal tale about the importance of parents and … Continue reading On My Way to Parent-Teacher Conferences: Recalculating
Preparing Students with Autism for the Transition to College
For high school seniors, now is an anxious time. College applications are in, and the acceptances and rejections are starting to be sent out. It’s an anxious time for parents as well, whether is the first child to head off or the last. For parents of children on the autism spectrum, the anxieties can be … Continue reading Preparing Students with Autism for the Transition to College
10 Common Mistakes Parents Make During the IEP Process
When you begin the process to get your child an Individualized Education Program (IEP), it can be an overwhelming, emotional, confusing, stressful, and frustrating time. While Illinois does provide a guide to help parents navigate special education services, you still may feel lost while everyone else involved has been through the process many times and … Continue reading 10 Common Mistakes Parents Make During the IEP Process
New Free Guide on Puberty for Parents of Children with Autism
Puberty. It’s a word that can worry parents about how to discuss physical changes and intimate topics with their child. Parents of pre-teens on the autism spectrum may find themselves even more lost about how to address this transition with their child. The Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN) and the Autism Intervention Research Network … Continue reading New Free Guide on Puberty for Parents of Children with Autism
Helping Your Child Deal with Stress
Children are often stressed about school, whether it is an upcoming test, not understanding a homework assignment, or something mean that a friend said to them the day before. For students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or other learning disorders (LD), stress can often make school issues worse. The magazine ADDitude has published an article … Continue reading Helping Your Child Deal with Stress
Resources to Help Navigate Special Education in Illinois
As the new school year approaches, parents of children with special needs may be a little more nervous than most parents about sending their child to school. Navigating the special education system can be a confusing and frustrating process for parents. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has a parents’ guide, Educational Rights and … Continue reading Resources to Help Navigate Special Education in Illinois
One Voice Illinois 