How Educators & Support Professionals Can Help Families

Barbara Doyle and Emily Doyle Iland provide some great ideas to aid educators and support professionals in making a real difference as they support families affected by special needs.  While this article was written about families affected by autism spectrum diagnoses, the ideas here can actually apply to most families regardless of the diagnosis involved.   These ideas…

New Georgia Testing Accommodations Manual

The Accommodations Manual: A guide to Selecting, Administering, and Evaluating the Use of Test Administration Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (updated December 2014) is now available on the Assessment & Accountability website under the link “For Educators”.   In addition, IEP and IEP/504 teams should always consider the purpose of the assessment and consult Georgia’s Student…

New Guidance: When Parents Request Evaluation Regardless of Where in the RTI Process

Update from TN Department of Education with OSEP Memo Clarification As LEAs begin implementation of Tennessee’s RTI² Framework, the department would like to remind districts of the procedures required when a parent requests an evaluation. As referenced in this memorandum issued through the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), a Response to Intervention (RTI) process…

31 Days of Supporting the Special Needs Family

Together – Katie, Kathryn, Sara, and I want to see the walls separating the special needs community from the rest of the world fall down. We want to see bridges built and friendships forged. We want to see churches and communities step up their game to rally around the parents of special-needs children. Over the course of…

Fragile Kids Foundation: New Equipment Grants for Georgia Families

“For over 25 years the consistent mission of the Fragile Kids Foundation is to enhance the quality of life and wellbeing of children with support, supplies and prescribed medical equipment not covered by Georgia Medicaid or private insurance for Georgia’s medically fragile children living with chronic illnesses, genetic and traumatic disorders and orthopedic and neuro-muscular…

Finding IEP/504 Help in Other States

I am regularly asked the question “Is there a LifeLine near me?” by people who live outside of Tennessee and Georgia.  While LifeLine is a stand-alone organization, there are other organizations who offer services similar to LifeLine’s Special Education Services.   To find an organization near you who provides services through the PTI (Parent Training &…

Inclusion Fusion – Disability Web Symposium

“Inclusion Fusion is a worldwide web symposium to equip churches to more effectively minister to families of kids with disabilities.  Inclusion Fusion is designed as an opportunity for Christ followers everywhere to come together to share ideas and resources to advance the movement among Christ-honoring churches to serve, welcome and include families of kids with…