News from Tennessee Disability Pathfinder
Although it is still Summer, Tennessee students are heading back to school. Whether they have already started or starting in the next couple of weeks, there is so much to think about during back-to-school season, especially for students with disabilities. Being prepared for a new school year can help the transition back into the school… Read more Tip Tip Hooray! Getting IEPrepared
With the weather getting warm and flowers blooming, the school year is coming to an end. Before you pack away the backpacks for the summer, there are a couple of things that would be helpful to do especially if your student has an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Closing out the school year efficiently will help… Read more Special Ed 101 (May 2024) – End of the Year IEP Tips
Transportation and Individual Education Plan (IEP) are two concepts that seem to have no connection. However, they may have more of an intersection than you think. Did you know transportation can be a part of the IEP? Students with an IEP are provided the same opportunity to have access to transportation to and from school.… Read more Special Ed 101 – April 2024
Walking into your first IEP meeting can feel like a rollercoaster of emotions while you process so much information. It can feel like drinking from a fire hose of information. March is Developmental Disability Awareness month and frequently after a diagnosis many parents must engage with the IEP process for the first time. To help… Read more Special Ed 101 – March 2024: Developmental Disability & the IEP
Dear Friends of Pathfinder, Self-advocacy is a skill that is important to me personally and professionally. When I was teaching Special Education, self-advocacy was one of my top priorities for my students. I am passionate about teaching self-advocacy skills because it gave my students a voice to express what they need or want. It gave… Read more A Message from Pathfinder’s Education & Resources Coordinator on Self-Advocacy
As Christopher Reeves, actor and disability advocate, said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Self-advocacy allows individuals to express their needs and how they might need help. Practice is the best way to build these skills and learn how to use them… Read more Special Ed 101: – Setting Self-Advocacy IEP Goals
As we enter a new year, it can be a great time to reflect on ways to improve your life. Have you ever considered how technology might help you reach your goals? Although it might sound like a unique resolution to use more technology, there are great benefits to using technology in your daily life.… Read more Special Ed 101: New Year New Technology – January 2024
As the holiday season approaches, it can be easy to focus on the long list of things that need to be done. Your child’s IEP might be the last thing on your mind, but it is an important time of the year to look at the progress your child is making. Every nine weeks, schools… Read more Special Ed 101: Holidays and IEPs
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa Did you know that employment goals should be a part of a student’s individual education plan (IEP)? Education and employment go hand in hand. Employment goals help ensure the student can reach their… Read more Special Ed 101 – October 2023
What does Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) really mean? We often hear the word “free,” but do you know how it applies to special education? Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 legally requires all public schools to provide free and appropriate education to students with disabilities, but what does it mean? To better understand,… Read more Special Ed 101: Free Appropriate Public Education