"School Problems" Workshop - a two-part workshop to assist the parents of public and private school students in getting help for their children who are experiencing difficulty in school. This Workshop is for you if...

1. your child is beginning to experience difficulty in school.
2. your child is receiving special education services.
3. you suspect that your child might have some type of learning problem.
4. you are not sure what services may be available to help your child.
5. you are a professional who works with this population of students either in a school, private, medical or legal setting.

Questions addressed in the Workshop:

1. What are possible causes for school problems?
2. What is available in schools to provide help for students?
3. What is Special Education? Who is eligible?
4. Can a child with ADD/ADHD qualify for special education?
5. What kind of testing is done through the school? How do you know if it is adequate?
6. How can your child receive modifications in the classroom? Do they have to be eligible for special education to get these?
7. What variety of services are available and in what settings?
8. How is the determination made about which services your child will receive, and where and how these services will be provided?
9. What can you do if the school is unresponsive or has denied services in the past?
10. How can you disagree with the school's decisions?
11. How is the determination made about when your child is no longer eligible for special education?
12. How can you communicate effectively about your child's need(s)?

Issues addressed in the Workshop:

1. Assessment and Eligibility
   • Specific procedures for requesting assessment (testing)
   • Tests most commonly used
   • How to interpret assessment results
   • Eligibility determination under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
   • How can a child with ADD/ADHD qualify for services under IDEA or Section 504
2. Placement and Services
   • Continuum of program options: Regular and Special Education
   • Placement determination
   • Accommodations (e.g., textbooks on tape, etc.)
   • Modifications (e.g., extended time for tests, etc.)
   • Assistive technology (e.g., spell checker, calculator, etc.)
   • Transition services
   • Other Services (e.g., speech therapy, adapted PE, etc.)
3. Laws and Procedures
   • Update of IDEA 2004 amendments and regulations
   • The rights and protections for parents and children
   • The step-by-step process and components of an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
   • Special Education process timelines
   • Federal and state laws affecting local school policies
   • The specific due process procedures for disagreement with the school's decision
4. Parent Involvement
   • Parent participation
   • Record keeping
5. Learning Disabilities (LD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
   • How LD and ADD/ADHD can affect school success
   • The latest diagnostic criteria for AD/HD (DSM-IV)
6. Also Included
   • Sample letters
   • Community resources
   • Terminology and acronyms
   • Pertinent laws