Created by a Kansas grandfamily
LIKE YOURS!
EDUCATION, ADVOCACY & SUPPORT FOR GRANDFAMILIES & KINSHIP CARE!
SPECIAL EDUCATION?
504 PLAN?
The special education process is somewhat complicated but if your child is in need of the services, it is well worth the time and effort in advocating for the assistance! See below for the flow chart of how it works:
IF you child is in a private school, the school district MUST offer special education services to your child if they qualify. They go by all the same requirements as if in public school setting except where the services are provided. See link below:
IF you child is in a home school setting, and IF your child is identified as a child with a disability, the school does NOT have the responsibility to provide special ed services UNLESS enrolled in public school. This CAN be for only certain portions of the day however, to address those specific needs but more information is found here:
504 PLANS
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A 504 plan is simply a document that lists what accommodations or modifications to the environment or curriculum can and should be implemented to enable a child to be able to learn and/or participate the same as other peers.
In order to qualify for this, there are steps to take and I will explain them in detail.
But....IF YOUR CHILD has ANY disability including:
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mental health
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physical
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educational
AND it impacts his/her ability to participate compared to same-aged peers, then they should be allowed the opportunity to have this plan put in place.​
EXAMPLES OF HOW TRAUMA CAN "POSSIBLY" AFFECT A CHILD WITHIN SCHOOL SETTING
(not always but can):
CHILD HAS DIFFICULTY GOING TO SCHOOL OUT OF ANXIETY OR FEAR & OFTENTIMES TARDY OR STAYS HOME
(RESULTING IN TRUANCY)
CHILD HAS DIFFICULTY SUSTAINING ATTENTION ON ONE TASK OR FOR LENGTHY AMOUNT OF TIME
(RESULTING IN LATE WORK OR DETENTIONS)
CHILD OFTENTIMES TALKS BACK TO AUTHORITY OR FIGHTS WITH PEERS
(RESULTING IN DETENTIONS OR SUSPENSION)
CHILD PREFERS SITTING IN BACK OF CLASSROOM, WON'T PARTICIPATE IN PEER GROUPS OR GET UP TO GIVE SPEECH
(RESULTING IN DETENTION FOR MISBEHAIOR)
CHILD IS ON AN ADHD MEDICATION OR OTHER MED THAT CREATES SYMPTOMS WHILE STARTING IT, STOPPING IT, REFUSING IT OR CHANGING IT! (FOR EXAMPLE, FALLING ASLEEP.....CAN'T CONCENTRATE, ETC. RESULTING IN MANY NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES)
IF ANY OF THESE SOUND FAMILIAR AND YOU NEED HELP NAVIGATING HOW TO ASSIST SCHOOL IN VIEWING IT AS A RESULT OF TRAUMA/MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, PLEASE REACH OUT!! BUT DEFINITELY PURSUE THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON SCHOOL AND THEN HOME WHEN NOT ADDRESSED CORRECTLY!
​According to Educational Stability Requirements from ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act), a student is entitled to enroll or remain in their school of origin, unless a determination is made that it is not in the student’s best interest to attend the school of origin. (school of origin is the school that the student is enrolled in at the time the student comes into foster care or changes placement).
If it is not in the student’s best interest to remain in the school of origin, then the student is to be immediately enrolled in the receiving school even without the normal school records. The receiving school must immediately contact the school last attended by the student to obtain the student’s records.
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TO ASSIST THE CHILD IN RECEIVING WHAT THEY NEED TO TRANSFER BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND/OR FOR HELP WITH YOUR CHILD IF THEY ARE IN YOUR CARE AND IN FOSTER CARE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE "CONTACT" PERSONS BELOW FOR ASSISTANCE!
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EDUCATIONAL LIASIONS AS WELL AS THE DCF DIRECTORS OF EACH REGION ARE LISTED. IF YOUR CHILD IS HAVING DIFFICULTIES, PLEASE CALL OR SEND THEM AN EMAIL AND REQUEST THAT SOMEONE ASSIST YOUR CHILD!
EDUCATION FOR KIDS STILL IN FOSTER CARE