Tools and Information

Resource document by the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities that provides special education basics, tips for letter writing and sample letters to help parent's better communicate with their child's school.

The focus of this Parent Guide from Children’s Law Clinic -Duke Law School, is the federal special education law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that promises each child with a disability a “free, appropriate, public education.”

Before developing IEPs, all IEP team members, including parents, should become familiar with the general education curriculum, including the state’s academic content standards and the state testing program. In order to make informed decisions about appropriate annual goals, supports and special education needs, the IEP team should consider how your child is performing as compared to the state’s academic content standards for the grade that your child is in.

About ECAC - What We Believe and What we Do and Do Not Do

Note the student’s response to transition between activities. Is s/he disoriented, distracted, or overwhelmed visually or auditorally when moving or preparing for new activity? Is s/he agitated or anxious during the change? If so, consider these questions in addressing this difficulty.

¿Ha sido nombrado como fideicomisario de un fideicomiso para necesidades especiales? ¿Ha creado un fideicomiso para necesidades especiales y se pregunta en qué consiste realmente el trabajo de fideicomisario? ¿Es usted un beneficiario del fideicomiso y está tratando de entender qué está permitido y qué está obligado a hacer el fideicomisario? La Special Needs Alliance se complace en ofrecer su folleto gratuito sobre la administración de fideicomisos para necesidades especiales.

Los padres a menudo se sorprenden al saber que la condición médica o el diagnóstico de su hijo, como el Autismo, la Dislexia, la Pérdida Auditiva o los trastornos musculares, no los califica automáticamente para un Programa de Educación Individualizado (IEP). Existen dos tipos principales de diagnóstico: clínico y médico.

Carolina del Norte ha desarrollado Estándares de Contenido Extendido para guiar la instrucción de los estudiantes con las discapacidades cognitivas más significativas. Esta hoja informativa responderá algunas preguntas clave que los padres y educadores pueden tener sobre las discapacidades cognitivas más significativas, los Estándares de Contenido Extendido (ECS) y la Evaluación Alternativa NC Extend 1.

Guidance on requirements under the IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act - U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

This Topic Brief by the NC Department of Public Instruction's Exceptional Children Division addresses the common myths about dyslexia in NC Schools.

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory enrollment program that works with other military and civilian agencies to provide comprehensive and coordinated community support, housing, educational, medical, and personnel services to Families with special needs.

El Entorno Menos Restrictivo (EMR) se refiere al requisito federal de la Ley de Educación para Individuos con Discapacidades (IDEA) que establece que “los niños con discapacidades no deben ser ubicados en clases especiales o escuelas separadas a menos que la naturaleza y significancia de su discapacidad sean tales que la educación en clases regulares con ayudas y servicios suplementarios no pueda lograrse de manera satisfactoria.”

North Carolina has developed Extended Content Standards to guide the instruction for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. This fact sheet will answer some key questions parents and educators may have about the most significant cognitive disabilities, the Extended Content Standards (ECS) and the NC Extend 1 Alternate Assessment.

GUÍA PARA PADRES SOBRE LA EDUCACIÓN ESPECIAL EN CAROLINA DEL - Glosario y acrónimos

La Guía se centra en la ley federal de educación especial conocida como Ley de Educación para Individuos con Discapacidades (IDEA, por sus siglas en inglés), que garantiza a todos los niños con discapacidades una "educación pública, gratuita y apropiada".

Check out these tips to prepare for your next IEP meeting!

IEP MAPA DE LA TRAVESÍA - Para las familias

IEP Cuaderno Su participación en el desarrollo de un Programa de Educación Individualizado (IEP por sus siglas en inglés) que sea efectivo y adecuado es esencial para el éxito de su hijo(a). Aunque el típico IEP normalmente cubre un período de 12 meses, cada IEP ayuda a consolidar la base para el futuro en la vida de su hijo. Piense en el adulto en el que su hijo se convertirá. Al planear, piense más allá de estos doce meses por venir. Considere su participación como un proceso de tres pasos.

A guide featuring the North Carolina IEP forms and useful tips for parents along the way.

This tip sheet introduces and briefly defines age of majority. The age of majority is defined by state law and is the age at which the child is no longer a minor and assumes rights and responsibilities to make certain legal decisions. To learn more, review the additional resources and check with state law for specific information about age of majority in your state.

This tip sheet reviews the elements of the individualized education program (IEP) and the IEP development process. To learn more, review the additional resources and check with state law for any additional requirements.

This tip sheet provides information about dates, frequency, location, and duration of services. It includes a brief summary of federal regulations and tips for implementation. To learn more, review the additional resources and check with state law for additional requirements.

This tip sheet introduces and briefly defines educational settings that promote access to and progress in general education programming and provides tips for implementation. To learn more, review the additional resources and check with state law for supplemental requirements.

This tip sheet introduces information about developing measurable annual goals. It includes a brief summary of federal regulations and tips for implementation. To learn more, review the additional resources and check with state law for additional requirements.

This tip sheet discusses measuring progress toward annual goals. It provides a brief summary of federal regulations and tips for implementation. To learn more, review the additional resources and check with state law for additional requirements.

This tip sheet introduces and provides an overview of the statement of services and aids that are part of the individualized education program (IEP). It also includes a brief summary of federal regulations and tips for implementation. To learn more, review the more in-depth tip sheets for all four parts and check with state law for additional requirements.

This tip sheet provides information about participation in assessment and accommodations for assessments. It includes a brief summary of federal regulations and tips for implementation. To learn more, review the additional resources and check with state law for additional requirements.

This tip sheet introduces the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance statement, or PLAAFP statement. It includes a brief summary of federal regulations and tips for implementation. To learn more, review the additional resources and check with state law for additional requirements

This tip sheet introduces and briefly defines transition services. To learn more, review the additional resources and check with state law for supplemental requirements.

A great tool full of suggested accommodations for specific areas of difficulty.

Like all students, students who experience disabilities need to learn many types of ‘skills’ in school. These include: habits of mind, basic academic skills, other content areas and functional skills.

Intellectual disability is a term used when a person has certain limitations in mental functioning and in skills such as communication, self-care, and social skills...

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) refers to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) federal requirement that “children with disabilities not be placed in special classes or separate schools unless the nature and severity of their disability is such that education in regular classes with supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.” This means that your child should be educated with their nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate, including in after school and extracurricular activities.

Lista de verificación del Programa de Educación Individualizado.

A Manifestation Determination Review (MDR) is a meeting held when a student with an IEP (Individualized Education Program) is facing suspension or expulsion for more than 10 days that results in a change of placement. This checklist will help you prepare for before, during and after a MDR meeting.

Parents are often surprised to learn that their child’s medical condition or diagnosis, such as Autism, Dyslexia, Hearing Loss or muscle related disorders does not automatically qualify them for an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Understanding the differences between a medical diagnosis and an educational determination of eligibility for special education services can help families become better advocates for their children.

This document outlines the three areas under which schools implementing an MTSS Framework should implement supports.

Learn about informal removal of children with disabilities from public schools.

Painting the BIG Picture! This worksheet has been created as a way for any adult to help “paint the big picture” of a child they care about and know well. The worksheet guides each writer to describe the child and to provide “tips” on what works best. The tips allow you to make a connection between what YOU know and what others can do to help him/her to be successful.

This resource walks parents through the signs and impacts of dyslexia, how children can be evaluated for dyslexia and ways that parent's and teachers can help children once they are diagnosed with dyslexia.

https://www.ecac-parentcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/participate-assessment-spanish.pdf

Policies written by the NC Department of Public Instruction outlining how NC schools will implement NC Special Education Law which is based on IDEA.

Child Find is a requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that mandates States to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities from birth to age 21 who are in need of special education and related services. Each State must offer Early Intervention Services for infants and toddlers with disabilities AND the provisions of a Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to children ages 3 to 21 determined eligible for special education and related services.

This worksheet will help you gather the specific information you need if your child struggles with reading and you suspect dyslexia.

Schools are required to provide a range of support when a child’s behavior gets in the way of learning. School-wide approaches to behavior apply to all students, and 504 Plans or Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) can provide personalized support and services to students with disabilities. Asking good questions is a strong advocacy skill!

IEP facilitation, mediation, resolution meeting, written state compliance, due process complaint, and hearing request

Una Guía de Planificación para las Familias de Carolina del Norte con Estudiantes con Discapacidad

This tip sheet is designed to support IEP teams in the documentation of Parent Counseling and Training within the IEP.

El propósito de este documento es brindar a las partes interesadas información acerca de la evaluación, identificación y educación de alumnos con dislexia en las escuelas públicas de Carolina del Norte.

A Planning Guide for North Carolina Families Who Have a Student with a Disability

This document provides Environmental, Behavioral, Organizational Strategies and more!

This document is intended to answer some questions that a parent/guardian might have about Specific Learning Disability, the identification process, and what this means for the parent and their child.

This fillable document helps students with disabilities request a leadership role in their next IEP meeting and to specify which parts of the IEP meeting they would like to lead.

From the U.S. Department of Education - Using Functional Behavioral Assessments to Create Supportive Learning Environments, guidance to help schools and early childhood programs better support students’ behavioral needs. This guidance focuses on evidence-based practices to support students, with or without disabilities, whose behavior interferes with learning, and is part of the Department’s effort to reduce exclusionary discipline.  

Learn about choosing a high school course of study!

Learn about transition planning and services in North Carolina!

NC MTSS is a multi-tiered framework that promotes school improvement through engaging, research-based academic and behavioral practices as well as Social and Emotional Learning(SEL). NC MTSS employs a systems approach using data-driven problem solving to maximize growth for all.