Parents learn about changes in special education
Alternative content
Parents learn about changes in special education...
New regulations went into effect earlier this week. At a conference focusing on special needs, parents and healthcare professionals learned more about some of these changes.Strong Roots for a Healthy Future was the name of a conference that took over Hotel Roanoke this weekend. The meeting was for parents, teachers, and healthcare or behavioral professionals who work with children and teenagers with special needs.
This year, one of the workshops at the conference focused on how special education is changing in schools. Parents met and jotted down notes about the changes which went into effect earlier this week.
“The most important thing is to work as a team and be confident as a team member,” said Margarete Jeffer, who learned she’ll be working more with the local school systems.
According to the regulations, local school systems statewide will handle evaluations and referrals. Committees for the Virginia Department of Education usually handled those tasks, but now they’ll need to approve the work of the school systems.
Whether parents feel comfortable with that, “It’s really all going to depend on the school system,” said Bob Splain, a parent.
One change includes developmental delay. According to the regulations, children need to be labeled by 5 years old – earlier than before.
“The hope is they will catch up later on. On the other hand, if a child gets a lot of help in the beginning and a lot of crutches and age eight or nine, it’s taken away. The child has a harder time to survive in normal classroom,” said Jeffer.
Some changes make it easier for one of the Splain’s children.
“Now that the qualifications have changed again, now he may be able to re-qualify for the IEP again,” said Kim Splain.
The IEP is an Individual Education Plan to help those students meet goals and objectives. To get to that point, one local doctor says the new regulations will make it more difficult. Students will go through a response to intervention.
“It’s actually a good thing for a child that really doesn’t need special education because the school is beginning to address their problems,” said Dr. Colleen Kraft, a pediatric specialist.
It’s just some of the changes many parents will need to learn. To learn more about these changes, click here.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
The previous commentor had concerns that Virginia changes in sped regulations would eliminate timelines for referals and evaluations. Under federal law, CFR 34 CFR 300.301(c)(i)(1)(i), states must conduct special education evaluations, and hold a Team meeting to determine eligibility within 60 days of receiving a request for an evaluation. State laws may have shorter timelines, but the parents can be assured that Virginia State Law will not be out of compliance with Federal Regulation mandates.
I attended this wonderful conference and heard the seminar as well. I am very concerned about some of the changes in the Regulations such as no timeline for the referral and evaluation process any more. This leaves school districts wide open to do even more of what they want and not serve the child’s needs in a timely manner as they should. If every child that is found eligible for Special Education services has to wait several months to a year for services to begin, how is that providing them with an appropriate education plan? Valuable time will be lost.
Advertisement