The following article expands on highlights and insights from one of our Expert Series events, which are exclusive for Young Scholars and their parents.
Authored by: Dr. Megan Helmen
Summary
Learn how you can better communicate and collaborate with your child’s school and advocate for IEP or 504 accommodations. Often, schools deny IEPs or 504s because the child isn’t failing academically, yet these children face punishment for not meeting behavioral expectations or having sensory breakdowns due to their environment. Even when an IEP or 504 is in place, goals are frequently vague, such as “student will learn self-regulation skills and apply them,” without clear instructions on how to achieve these goals, resulting in insufficient support. The aim of this presentation is to share insights on behavioral challenges in children with ASD, propose strategies, and guide parents on setting effective goals at home and communicating them effectively with the school.
In this Parent Expert Series, you will learn how to communicate and collaborate with your child’s school regarding IEPs or 504 accommodations, we’ll review legal language that can be used to advocate for educational support, and identify basics on how to write appropriate goals for IEPs.
Tips
- Use legal terminology from FAPE, IDEA, and state-based descriptions of qualification criteria to advocate for your child.
- Request that evaluation for eligibility include developmental and functional measures (e.g., assess social functioning, daily living skills, etc.)
- Be specific in stating how the disability impacts your child’s performance (academic, developmental, and functional)
- Consider a broad scope of needs to ensure appropriate services (e.g., assistive technology, transportation, adaptive physical education, etc.) and always request consideration for mental health services.
- Advocate for achievable goals that focus on teaching skills that are meaningful for your child, including consideration for self-learning, self-advocacy, and strength-based goals.
Resources
REEL2e Support for Parents and Educators
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Megan Helmen is a pediatric neuropsychologist who has practiced for 13+ years. She has developed a niche of identifying developmental disabilities in gifted individuals, leading to a deeper understanding of how to better understand and support them. She believes in balancing clinical expertise and research-based interventions with connection and a sense of humor. She has developed an evaluation process that values each child as a whole human who can be included by asking questions and receiving feedback.
Permission Statement
This article is provided as a service of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted young people 18 and under. To learn more about the Davidson Institute’s programs, please visit www.DavidsonGifted.org.
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