Category Archives: Transition Planning

Special Education and Education Issues

Extended Services to Transition Age Students The pandemic wreaked havoc on educational programs for many students. For students who were transition age and turning 22 the impact was enormous. Recent legislation enacted by the Illinois General Assembly were designed to … Continue reading

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Extended School Year and COVID-19/Compensatory Education

The Extended School Year (ESY) is fast approaching and in the current environment there are few certainties. In Illinois, students who are eligible for extended school year will receive services remotely. There will be no in person instruction. The standards … Continue reading

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Posted in Autism, Current Events, Due Process, Education Law, General Information, IEP Meetings, Learning Disabilities, Mediation, Mental Health / Disability, School Discipline, Special Education / School Law, Transition Planning, Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Extended School Year and COVID-19/Compensatory Education

School Refusal

Over the years, I have worked with many families struggling to cope when their child or adolescent refuses to go to school. Typically, by the time parents call my office, the issue of school refusal is already a crisis. There … Continue reading

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Support For a Non-Minor Child with a Disability

1 in 59 children are diagnosed with autism according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 750 ILCS 5/513.5 is the statute that governs the support of an adult child with a disability. This is an increasingly common issue … Continue reading

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Thinking About Transition to High School for Students with IEPs and 504 Plans

At this time of year, elementary and middle schools schedule what are called articulation or transition meetings for students who will be moving on to a junior high or a high school. The purpose of this article is to provide … Continue reading

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Apps for Divorcing Parents

It centralizes communication and helps with organization. Even for divorcing or divorced parents it has been my experience that the apps provide a less emotional vehicle for communication. Using an app can also limit the he said, she said phenomenon. … Continue reading

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Autism and Police Interaction

Over the past several months I have had several cases of young people with autism who have been involved with the police for a variety of reasons. In my practice this is not an uncommon situation. However, I wanted to … Continue reading

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Autism Reflections – A Twenty Year Retrospective

Twenty-one years ago, I started this practice and the next phase of my life. In the previous decades, it was estimated that 4-5 children in 10,000 suffered from an autism spectrum disorder. My first due process case and appeal involved … Continue reading

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Transition Planning for Students with Mental Health Issues

Transition services must begin at age 14.5 in Illinois. Transition planning is an integral part of the student’s IEP. The IEP team develops the transition plan. Student must participate and be invited to any transition planning meeting. The IEP team … Continue reading

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Transition-Assessing Readiness for Life and College as if their Lives Depended on it.

Transition planning is a legal requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. I believe it is one of the central purposes of the access to special education afforded by that law. Yet, at many and indeed most Individual Education … Continue reading

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