How to Access the Right Education Plan for a Child with Disabilities?

Education can open many doors in life, but if you’re the parent of a special needs child, it may seem like those doors are not only closed but padlocked, leaving you and you alone to chart the educational course for your special needs child.

Nearly a half-century ago, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which became the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), guarantees a free and appropriate public education for students with disabilities. Yet to this day, many parents and guardians of special needs children don’t know how to access the services at their disposal because of this Act, nor do they even realize they’re available.

Recently, our Manager of Education Services, Kristen Sabo joined the Absolute Trust Talk hosted by Kirsten Howe to discuss this critical and complex topic.

Kristen has spent years working with school administrators, board members, families, and special needs students themselves, so she knows better than anyone just how impactful an effective educational team can be on the life of a child with disabilities. Throughout this discussion, you’ll hear Kristen emphasize the importance of a collaborative, individualized approach to getting her clients the best possible educational outcome, as every special needs child has their own unique academic challenges.

Listen in as they discuss:

• The most common roadblocks that stand in the way of parents or guardians seeking the free and appropriate public education for their child that they’re entitled to by law.
• What factors impact a child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), how it is deemed appropriate for the student, and why it must change over time as the child matures?
• How Kristen’s role differs markedly from that of an attorney, and why her approach — which emphasizes collaboration and a positive long-term relationship among parents or guardians, the school district, and the special needs student — can foster proactivity that will serve the best interests of the special needs student.
• The variety of special needs services that might be needed and how those services can improve or hinder the effectiveness of an IEP depends on the student and their needs.