IEP
When I Failed My Student, Restorative Justice Picked Us Up
During one of my daily writing warm-up exercises Alex, a sophomore in my remedial English class, decided to exercise his defiance by yelling, “Get off me lady, I’m not doing anythin’ you tell me to...
IEP
Even as a Disability Advocate I Still Did Everything Wrong When My Daughter Was Diagnosed With Autism
November 6, 2018, is the day my daughter was officially diagnosed with autism. That’s the day my world collapsed. For the first hour of her three-hour IEP meeting, I was doing OK. We were reviewing...
IEP
Here's What Happens When You Incorporate Equity Into Every Part of a School
In 2015, I co-founded Kingsman Academy Public Charter School. We welcome all high school students and center those who are overage and under-credited, who have attendance problems or have behavioral...
IEP
Why We Need to Stop Thinking About Students in Terms of Strengths and Weaknesses
My son is a freshman in high school and this felt like my first report card pick up all over again. While I have access to all his grades and consistent progress electronically, I was nervous to go...
IEP
Twas the Night Before the IEP Meeting
November is IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting time for most parents. This is dedicated to all of the parents preparing for their yearly IEP meetings. Twas the night before the IEP meeting...
IEP
It's Not 'Inclusion' If You Leave Out Kids With Special Needs
Way back in 1990 on this day, then-President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. The law’s provisions stayed the same, but its name was changed...