Okay, I’ve been on this autism-school journey for quite a few years now, so I think that I know a little about this subject. It’s a never-ending quest for knowledge, I know that, and I also know that there are volumes that I don’t know. Still, how is it that the Department of Public…
School Resource Officers and your child: preventing problems
Did you know that School Resource Officers (SROs) may know nothing whatsoever about your child with autism or even about autism? Did you also know that your child with autism could be arrested at school and charged with assault? Being proactive and connecting with the SRO at your child’s school could be vitally important for…
Losing credit for Curriculum Assistance Classes in High School…
Did you know that students in Curriculum Assistance classes in high school will no longer receive credit for this class? For those who do not have a child in high school, a Curriculum Assistance (CA) class is a class for students with IEPs who need additional help—it’s comparable to resource pull-out time in elementary school. …
Miscellaneous interesting education-related tidbits:
The NC State Board of Education is removing the second retest program from EOGs. The change will be effective in the 2010-2011 school year. Hurrah! Why should students who scored a Level 2 be required to take TWO retests?! Instead, schools will be able to use the first retest results in calculating ABCs and…
Proposed Changes to NC Policies—Comment Period
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Exceptional Children Division, is proposing changes to the Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilites. The comment period is from November 23, 2009 through January 21, 2010, with a public hearing on Wednesday, December 16. Most of the changes seem to align NC Policies with federal law, but…
Statewide Autism Training for Teachers
Claire Greer, Consultant for Autism, Severe/Profound and Multiple Disabilities for the NC Department of Public Instruction, has developed 5 modules for training autism teams in each LEA (Local Education Agency, or school district). The LEA selects a group of professionals—often a special education teacher, a speech pathologist, and an occupational therapist—to attend these intensive sessions. …