We’re sharing the live recording from our recent presentation for the Children and Adolescent Diagnoses graduate class at Azusa Pacific University. We walked through the basics of special education that social workers (and parents) need to know in order to best help their special needs child(ren).

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How is “appropriate” defined and used in the special education world?
• What is the IDEA and how does it govern special education?
• What additional requirements California imposes in order to help students with special needs?
• Always aim for helping create the least restrictive environment
• Brown v. Board of Education and the segregation of students with special needs
• The effect of integrating special education students into general education classes
• How are assessments initiated?
• How can a social worker initiate an assessment? What are the steps to do that?
• The 13 eligibility requirements for special needs diagnoses 
• Can you ask for more than one IEP meeting a year? If so, how many and how often?
• For parents who are non-native English speakers, they can request a copy of the IEP in their native language
• Goals drive services. Services drive placement.
• Can you record the IEP meeting?
• What is a “stay put”?

Thank you for listening!

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IEP website

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

What do social workers need to know about special education in order to better assist children they represent? We break down the basics.

We’re celebrating our 1 year anniversary of this show! Thank you so much for your support over the past year.  We hope to continue to bring you valuable content and insightful guests. Please feel free to send your suggestions for topics at [email protected]

In today’s episode, we’re exploring a topic we’re going to be presenting on later this week. We’re talking about the effect of the foster care system on a child’s learning and education. Often times, foster care children move around from one home to another and that takes a toll on their learning in various ways. We discuss the potential implications and what social workers and foster parents can do to help.

For full show transcript, visit site here. 

What We Discuss in This Episode:

• What are the educational implications of moving a foster child from one home to another?
• The interruptions and emotional trauma that is created
• Adjusting to a new home can be an issue
• What do social workers need to know in order to help the child and potentially advocate for them?
• Just because a child is in foster care, doesn’t necessarily mean the foster parent holds educational rights to that child
• The importance of knowing who holds educational rights as a parent
• Identifying when a foster care child is having difficulty adjusting at home can help tackle potential learning difficulties at school
• Should social workers be involved in a child’s IEP team?
• What is CASA and how can that type of advocacy help a student?

Resources Mentioned:

Welfare and Institutions Code Section 317(e) – advocates for students in the foster care system

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in Los Angeles

If you’d like us to present to your organization, we’re happy to do so! Reach out.

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

Facebook

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Twitter

IEP website

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

What do foster parents and social workers need to know to better advocate for students in the foster care system? What affect does the foster care system have on a child's learning?

Share your kids Halloween costumes in our Private Facebook Group or on our Facebook Page.

With the upcoming General Elections on November 6, there are a lot of fundamental initiatives on the ballot. There are several that relate to families, children, and education so we want to take this opportunity to discuss them and provide greater insight into some of the initiatives that will affect us directly. After all, an educated voter is the best kind of voter!

For full show transcript, visit our site here. 

The Propositions We Discuss:

• Proposition 1 – Authorizes bonds to fund specified housing assistance programs
• Proposition 2 – Authorizes bonds to fund existing housing program for individuals with mental illness
• Proposition 4 – Authorizes bonds funding construction at hospitals providing children’s health care
• Proposition 5 – Changes requirements for certain property owners to transfer their property tax base to replacement property
• Proposition 7 – Conforms California daylight savings time to federal law. Allows legislature to change daylight saving time period
• Proposition 8 – Regulates amounts outpatient kidney dialysis clinics charge for dialysis treatment

Resources Mentioned:

Voter Information Guide

Vote Save America

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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IEP website

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

An educated voter is the best kind of voter! The California November 6th elections are right around the corner and there are several initiatives on the ballot that directly affect families, children, and our IEP community. We’re breaking them down in this episode.

Be sure to join the great conversations that are happening in our private Facebook Group!

If you didn’t get a chance to listen to Episode 50 last week, check that out that first since it’s Part I of this discussion. 

We’ve got a little bit of a controversial episode today for you. We’re talking about whether or not medicine with the cannabis compound, CBD, should be allowed on school campuses, especially when doing so complies with FAPE. 

There is certainly a lot of stigma and many misconceptions about CBD so we’re diving into this topic and exploring the role that CBD-based medicine plays in helping students with special needs access school.

For full show transcript, visit site here. 

What We Discuss in This Episode:

• What is CBD?
• How CBD-based medicine helped a little girl with her epilepsy
• Even though marijuana use has become legal in several states, it is still illegal under Federal law
• How a recent California court case is essentially breaking ground when it comes to using life-saving cannabis-based medicine on school campuses
• For many young kids who suffer from serious disorders, CBD oil offers a safer alternative to other harmful medicines
• The stigma that remains 

Resources Mentioned:

California court case article

Senate Bill 1127 

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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Twitter

IEP website

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs

Can CBD-based life-saving medicine help students with special needs access school?

Thank you to our show sponsor – Fusion Academy!To f ind out more about Fusion Academy and their revolutionary approach to school, visit www.fusionacademy.com 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that each child with a disability who needs special education and related services will receive a free and appropriate public education. What exactly are “related services” and when are certain services and needs considered medical? That's what we discuss in this episode. 

Be sure to tune in to next week’s episode where we discuss the use of CBD oil by students on school campuses and whether or not that is considered a medical need.  

Join the discussion in our private Facebook Group - www.facebook.com/groups/ieppodcast

For full show transcript, visit site here.

What We Discuss in This Episode:

• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) makes available a free and appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities and ensures special education and related services to those children. What exactly are considered “related services”?
• Even if a need is deemed a medical necessity, it can still impact education and thus a school must provide that service
• Cases that further explain what “related services” are
• Irving Independent School District vs. Tatro (1984) - Court found that catheterization was a related service under the now IDEA and the school had to provide that service during school hours
• Cedar Rapids Community School District vs. Garret F. (1999) – Court found that the IDEA requires school boards to provide continuous nursing services to students with special needs. Here, the Court found that a student who was wheelchair-bound and ventilator dependent, required, in part, a responsible individual nearby to attend to certain physical needs during the school day.
• Does the law require school personnel to be trained to provide certain medical services?

Resources Mentioned:

20 U.S.C. Section 1401(26) defines “related services”

IDEA

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

IEP website

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

The law requires that students with special needs receive a free appropriate public education and related services. What are those related services exactly?