Stories from the team

Does a Physical Disability Qualify for an IEP? What Parents Need to Know

"My child has a physical disability and is falling behind at school. Can the school help, and how do I even start?" If that's the question in your head right now, here's the short answer: a physical disability can qualify a child for an Individualized Education Program (IEP), which is the written special-education plan a public school must provide. And you can start the process yourself, in writing, without waiting for anyone's permission. Here's how a physical or orthopedic condition can open

What to Do When the School Says the Hearing Aids Are Enough

You've been told your child is doing fine. The hearing aids work, the grades are steady, and the school says there's nothing more to do. If that answer left you uneasy, your instinct is worth trusting. A device that helps your child hear is not the same as full access to everything happening in a classroom. Here's the short version. Under federal special education law, hearing aids or a cochlear implant do not end the school's duty to look at what your child needs. Your child can still qualify

Does Your Child's Health Condition Qualify for an IEP? A Parent's Guide to Other Health Impairment

Your child has asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, ADHD, or another health condition that follows them into the classroom. Some days they're too tired to focus. Some days they miss school for appointments or a flare-up. You're wondering: can the school actually help, and how do you get that started? Here's the direct answer. A health condition can qualify your child for an IEP under a federal category called Other Health Impairment. An IEP, or Individualized Education Program, is the written special-ed

Does a Traumatic Brain Injury Qualify for an IEP? What Parents Need to Know

If your child had a traumatic brain injury, even a serious concussion, and it's changed how they think, remember, or get through a school day, you're probably asking one question above all others. Can the school actually help, and does this count under special education law? Yes. A traumatic brain injury is its own category under federal special education law. That means your child can qualify for an Individualized Education Program, or IEP. An IEP is the written plan a public school must creat

Does Hearing Loss Qualify for an IEP? What Parents Need to Know

Your child is deaf or hard of hearing, and you want to know one thing: can the public school help, and how do you start? The short answer is yes, and you can begin the process today with a written request. Federal law backs you up here, so this isn't a favor you're asking for. It's a right your child already has. The law that protects your child is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It requires public schools to provide an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, which is

The School Says Our Building Is Accessible. Does My Child Still Qualify for an IEP?

The school told you two things. The building is wheelchair accessible, and your child is passing, so there's no reason to start an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the written plan of specialized instruction and services a child gets at school. Here's the part that didn't come up: those are two different rules, and passing grades don't decide whether your child qualifies. You have the right to ask for an evaluation, in writing, at any time. Let's walk through why the school's answer does

What to Do When the School Says It Can't Serve Your Child's Complex Needs

The school says your child is too complex for a regular classroom, and you're being told they need a separate room or a different school entirely. That's a hard thing to hear. Here's the first thing to know: under federal law, "we can't serve them here" is the start of a conversation, not the end of one. Federal special education law is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. It gives your child specific rights, and it gives you specific ways to use them. This isn't abo

ADHD and School Support: Why "Grades Are Fine" Isn't the Whole Story

You've got a kid with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), decent grades, and a school that says a 504 plan is enough. You're wondering whether to push for more. Here's the short answer: good grades don't settle the question, and you have the right to ask for a full evaluation to find out. "Grades are fine" doesn't decide eligibility Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the federal special education law, ADHD is served under a category called "Other Health

Does ADHD Qualify for an IEP? What Parents Need to Know

Your child has ADHD, and you're wondering if the school has to help. The short answer is yes, a public school can help, and often the plan that does it is called an IEP. An IEP is an Individualized Education Program. It's a written special-education plan a public school must provide to a child who qualifies. It spells out the support your child gets, in writing, and the school has to follow it. Here's what qualifying actually depends on, and how you start. Does ADHD qualify for an IEP? ADHD

Does Autism Qualify for an IEP?

If your child has an autism diagnosis, or you're starting to suspect one, you're probably asking a simple question with a stressful weight behind it: can the school actually help, and how do you start? The short answer is yes. Autism is one of the disability categories that can qualify a child for an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the written special-education plan a public school has to provide and follow. The rest of this walks through how that works and the first move you can make.

School Says No Diagnosis, No IEP? Not True.

You're watching your child struggle, and the school keeps saying some version of "they seem fine in class," or "come back once you have an autism diagnosis from a doctor." So you're stuck wondering whether you can request a special education evaluation, and whether the school gets to set those rules. Here's the direct answer: you can ask the school, in writing, to evaluate your child at any time, for free. The school cannot require an outside medical diagnosis before it will even look. That rig

The School Says Your Child Doesn't Need Braille. Here's What the Law Says.

"My child has some sight left, and the school says Braille isn't necessary. What are my rights?" If you've been told that, you're not wrong to question it. Under federal law, some usable vision is not, by itself, a reason for a school to skip Braille. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) sets a specific rule for children who are blind or visually impaired, and it puts the burden on the school's team to justify a "no," not on you. Here's what the law actually says, in plain te