This study aims to identify the relationships between Individualized Education Program (IEP) status and substance use. More than 122,000 eighth-, ninth-, and eleventh-grade students provided survey data in 2013. Analyses tested associations between IEP status and tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use, accounting for emotional distress and…

Assistive technology (AT), as defined in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 (34 CFR sections 300.5 and 300.6), consists of devices and accompanying services that support a student with an IEP or IFSP. AT includes devices ranging from a low-tech pencil with a grip to a high-tech voice-activated computer. AT services assess…

Career and technical education (CTE) provides students of all ability levels the opportunity to develop skills for a post-secondary career. When students with disabilities are included in CTE, educators are legally required to provide an appropriate program that meets each student's unique needs. There are, however, few discussions in the…

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…

Individuals who serve as surrogate parents fulfill an important role in the life of a child with a disability. Surrogates have become increasingly important in special education because a growing number of children are living outside their family for some period of their lives. Like parents, surrogates of children with disabilities are granted a…

Purpose: The purpose of this tutorial is to provide speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with foundational information that will assist them in transition planning for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on a review of current literature. SLPs must be knowledgeable of transition planning in order to assist students with ASD and their…

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act every student that has a documented disability is required to have an individualized education program (IEP). The IEP comprises core areas, including physical education. The purpose of this article is to clarify 12 myths about physical education for students with disabilities and help…

Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, almost all school districts rapidly shifted to distance learning in spring of the 2019-2020 school year. This shift laid bare both the logistical and instructional challenges of distance learning, particularly for English learners and students with disabilities, both of whom have faced…

Parents who are knowledgeable of special education are more likely to engage in their child's education. Parents seek information about special education from a number of sources including State Departments of Education (SDEs). However, little is known about the web-based special education resources SDEs provide to parents. We sought to address…

In light of COVID-19, school divisions across the country closed their doors and shifted to remote instruction. In Virginia, little guidance was provided to assist educators and teacher educators with making this transition, particularly for students with individualized education programs (IEPs). In May of 2020, researchers surveyed Virginia…

The purpose of this article is to discuss major substantive errors that school personnel may make when developing students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). School IEP team members need to understand the importance of the procedural and substantive requirements of the IEP, have an awareness of the five serious substantive errors that IEP…

Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams are required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to consider a student's need for assistive technology (AT). Despite this legal requirement, AT supports are often not available to students with disabilities. Many students with disabilities and their families have addressed the…

Student graduation from high school with a regular high school diploma is an important indicator of school success and one of the most significant indicators of student college and career readiness. In addition, there are substantial economic benefits to high school completion. For example, according to the U.S. Department of Education's National…

Charter school authorizers are the entities granted power in state charter statutes to create charter schools. As the entity that initially approves a charter application, oversees delivery of services, and renews or revokes schools' ability to operate, charter authorizers must take seriously their role and be informed regarding their…

Strong relationships between parents and education professionals benefit all, especially children with disabilities. Parents of children with disabilities were integral to the development of special education, are their children's best advocate, and are the members of the Individual Education Plan team who know the child the best. As education…