K-12 Issues

Suggestions for Involving Students in Selecting and Implementing Accommodations

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Behavior Problems

When children struggle with their behavior, it can have a negative impact on everyone in the family. Parents know they need to respond, but they often aren’t sure what’s the best strategy, especially if a child is frequently acting out and nothing seems to work.

This resource collection from the Child Mind Institute offers parents a comprehensive look at problem behavior. It covers many topics, including what may be triggering problem behavior, how to improve the parent-child relationship when it becomes strained, what to do if kids are struggling with behavior in school, and how to get professional help if you need it. The suite is also available in Spanish.

To take a closer look at the individual topics treated in the collection and to access it in English or Spanish, come here.

Working Together Series

The Working Together Series includes 5 interactive self-directed courses. These courses provide families and educators with a number of strategies for working together and through conflict. Anyone supporting children or youth with disabilities may benefit from this series. The setting in which collaborative problem solving and conflict resolution takes place within this series is typically the school or IEP meeting.

Produced by CADRE, the series includes a webinar that briefly introduces the Working Together Series, a companion Facilitator Guide, and other supplemental resources. The full series is available in English and in Spanish (Trabajando Juntos).

To learn more about the 5 courses in the series, view the introductory webinar, or access the series in Spanish, read our abstract here.

Reducing Suicide Risk With Safety Plans

September is Suicide Awareness Month. When children in distress express suicidal thoughts or feelings, therapists often work with them —and their parents— to create what is called a safety plan. A safety plan is a document that spells out a series of things the child agrees to do, if they feel overwhelmed, to keep from harming themselves. Parents agree to things they will do to make their child’s environment safer.

This collection of articles from the Child Mind Institute explains how safety planning can help deter teen suicides, which are often impulsive, by steering kids away from harming themselves until the urge passes. With teenage depression and anxiety on the rise, it’s important for all of us to be proactive when children are in distress.

To see the individual articles in the collection and connect with them in English or Spanish, come here.

State Laws on School Nursing Responsibilities

Child Trends, in partnership with EMT Associates, analyzed the landscape of state statutes and regulations as of October 2021 to better understand how state laws and policies define the role of school nurses. This 2022 brief presents their findings.

Knowing your state’s school nurse policies is important to practitioners, Parent Centers, families, and education administrators and staff alike. The brief details state policies on such matters as whether districts must employ school nurses, what qualifications are required, and nurses’ role in individual aspects of the work.

Additionally, the brief provides current data on state policies for a school nurse’s role in: managing chronic conditions; administering medication; developing and managing student health plans; student immunizations; and infectious disease control. Read CPIR’s abstract and access the brief here.

OSEP Policy Letter on Adapted Physical Education

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Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline under Section 504

On July 19, 2022, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services released multiple guidance documents to help public elementary and secondary schools fulfill their responsibilities to meet the needs of students with disabilities and avoid the discriminatory use of student discipline. These newly released resources are the most comprehensive guidance on the civil rights of students with disabilities concerning student discipline, and include: (1) a 41-page guidance on avoiding the discriminatory use of student discipline under Section 504; (2) an accompanying fact sheet summarizing the main points of the guidance; (3) a 57-page Q&A regarding IDEA’s disciplinary provisions; (4) a 19-page technical assistance guide describing positive, proactive approaches to supporing the needs of children with disabilities; and (5) a letter from Secretary of Education Cardona to stakeholders. Read more about and connect with each document in CPIR’s abstract.

How to Talk to Kids About Sex and Consent

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Considerando la Tecnología de Asistencia

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Consideración de LRE en las Decisiones de Colocación

El ambiente menos restrictivo, o LRE, como se le llama más comúnmente por sus siglas en inglés, es una de varias partes vitales en el desarrollo del IEP de un niño y juega un papel crítico, influyendo en dónde pasa el tiempo el niño en la escuela y cómo se brindan los servicios y las relaciones que el niño desarrolla en la escuela y la comunidad. De hecho, LRE es un elemento fundamental en la construcción de un IEP apropiado que puede mejorar los resultados para un niño, en la escuela y en la vida.