In What Ways Will Schools Pay for Special Ed. Students Services

Since schools closed in March, Deborah Tomai has sat alongside her son, a 9-year-old with Down syndrome, as he made gains in class, developed as a reader, and grasped concepts, such as regrouping, in math class. But she struggles to keep him focused and motivated during his remote-learning sessions. One day, she left him unsupervised in front of his computer to take a phone call. When she came back minutes later, he was in their […]

School Decision-Making Tool for Parents, Caregivers, and Guardians

Many parents, caregivers, and guardians face new and difficult choices about how their child will return to school in the fall, such as deciding between in-person and virtual learning. This tool is designed to help parents, caregivers, and guardians weigh the risks and benefits of available educational options to help them make decisions about sending their child back to school. It is organized to provide parents and caregivers with: Information on COVID-19 and why safely […]

ABLE Accounts, Changes and COVID-19

While each individual and family situation is different, we all share a common concern around our financial future during the COVID-19 crisis. This situation affects everyone’s lives at all levels and will continue to impact household finances for a lengthy period of time. Depending on your own specific and unique circumstances, your need to respond will vary. In this blog, the ABLE National Resource Center will share actions for you to consider, resources, stories and […]

Since Schools Have Closed Parents of Special Needs Children ‘wearing many hats’

With 8-year-old triplets who go to school in Encinitas, each one on the autism spectrum, Jeff Ladman and his wife Tara felt “like the rug’s been pulled out from underneath” them when the novel coronavirus pandemic closed schools in mid-March and reduced therapy sessions to online only. Two of their sons, second-graders Keith and Holden, have class with special education and mainstream teachers at Flora Vista and are “high functioning,” Ladman said. The third, Jarrett, […]

Caldwell teachers union fights changes to special education program

The Caldwell School District and its teachers union are at odds over changes to the district’s special education program that will shift some district positions to third-party providers next year. The district says the changes are the result of a 2019-2020 review of special education services that found special education services are “overstaffed in some areas and understaffed in others,” and that the changes will not reduce services for students. The Caldwell Education Association and […]