With the growing understanding of the importance of early childhood, leaders in many communities are looking for concrete ideas about how to improve the lives of young children and their families in their communities. They are looking for information and guidance about where to put their resources and energy, how to implement effective programs…

The purpose of this brief is to help families and educators understand the right of students with disabilities who need accessible educational materials to receive these materials in a timely manner. This right is based on provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as well as in the disability civil rights statutes…

"Educating Gifted Students in Middle School: A Practical Guide" (3rd ed.) helps educators with the challenging task of understanding and meeting the needs of gifted students in middle school. This revised and updated third edition: (1) Provides a rationale and framework that middle schools can use to fill the service gap for gifted and…

Schools are learning organisations. They continuously strive to do better for the children and young people in their charge. In doing so, they try new things, seek to learn from those experiences, and work to adopt and embed the practices that work best. Implementation is a key aspect of what schools do to improve, and yet it is a domain of school…

Sometimes parents just do not know where to begin once their child has been diagnosed as deaf or hearing impaired. This booklet helps answer some of the questions these parents might have. A resource section has been included for parents and professionals for future reference. One of the most important things to remember is that, once a child has…

This fact sheet answers several questions about enrollment in Maryland public schools, including: (1) how to enroll a child in school for the first time; (2) what to do if a child is transferring from one school to another; and (3) why proof of custody/guardianship, proof of residency, proof of age, proof of income, and immunization records are…

Questions often arise about how accessible educational materials (AEM) might be included in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The two purposes of this article are to (1) help families and educators understand the importance of including AEM in the IEPs of students who require them, and (2) to discuss locations in the IEP where it may be…

All school districts have children attending who have special dietary needs due to a disability or a food allergy or intolerance. In order for these children to attend school, their dietary needs must be addressed since they are unable to eat meals prepared for the general student population. There is federal legislation which provides guidance…

School work is designed to challenge students and help them meet grade-level academic standards. Students with disabilities have the right to learn and participate in the general education curriculum. Public school districts must provide these students with the services, accommodations, and modifications that they need to learn the same material…

The topic of special education can be confusing and frightening for parents who suspect their child has a disability or has difficulty learning. Parents in this situation want to know how to get help for their child. This guide is intended as a reference for people who have questions about special education for a child. It summarizes the basic…

Every child is unique and learns in different ways. Some children are identified as needing special education services to support his or her learning at school. Parents can play a major role in shaping the services a child receives. This guidebook has been written for parents, guardians, and surrogate parents of a child (ages 3 to 21 or…

Parents of young children who are in an early intervention (EI) or early childhood special education (ECSE) program, want to be sure these services are helping their child develop and learn. These services are designed to make the most of each child's potential, as well as to strengthen the family's ability to help their child. However, in what…

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Investment Opportunities Act (WIOA) of 2014, defines Competitive Integrated Employment as, "work that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis for which an individuals is: (a) compensated at or above minimum wage or commensurate with individuals without disabilities…

There are an estimated 1.5 to 2.5 million children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the United States. These children make up about 3-5 percent of a school's student population. Boys are diagnosed almost ten times more often than girls. Girls tend to be more inattentive and their symptoms are dismissed as those of a day…

The purpose of this document is to provide timely and useful best practice information to help education agencies proactively prepare for, appropriately mitigate, and responsibly recover from a cybersecurity incident. This resource reflects lessons learned by the education community and provides recommendations that will help agencies protect…