Accessing Educational Services: Navigating Through the School System in Kentucky
National
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. Infants and toddlers with disabilities (birth-2) and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth (ages 3-21) receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) authorizes formula grants to states, and discretionary grants to institutions of higher education and other non-profit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technical assistance and dissemination, technology and personnel development and parent-training and information centers. (Search: OSEP)
Office of Special Education's Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports: Effective School wide Interventions
The TA Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports has been established by the Office of Special Education Programs and the US Department of Education to give schools capacity-building information and technical assistance for identifying, adapting, and sustaining effective school-wide disciplinary practices.
IDEA Partnership
The IDEA Partnership is pleased to announce the release of its new Collection on Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Collection contains tools such as Needs of the Field, Glossary of Terms, two Power Point presentations with Presenter's Guides, and a resource list. (Search: autism)
AutismSpeaks "School Kit"
This toolkit is not intended to be a curriculum for special education for students on the autism spectrum, but rather a support for the general education and administrative school staff who interact with students with autism in various capacities. However, it is envisioned that this tool kit will provide valuable information and resources that can be employed by special education and administrative staff in their efforts to plan for and support students in general education environments and involvement in the school community as a whole. (Search: school kit)
A Guide for Transition to Adulthood by the Organization for Autism Research [PDF]
This new Guide, Life Journey Through Autism: A Guide for Transition to Adulthood, is designed to give parents, teachers, and other education professionals an introduction to the transition to adulthood process. Each of these topics contained herein could merit an entire volume of its own; therefore, this Guide is intended to serve as a starting point for parents and educators as they seek to learn more. Further, given the diversity of expression that constitutes the autism spectrum, it is likely that none of the information presented here will be relevant to all young adults on the spectrum (with the possible exception of the overview of laws in support of transition planning); but hopefully, most of it will be relevant to your son, daughter, student, or client. In that way, A Guide for Transition to Adulthood might best be understood as an overview of the myriad questions you will need to answer as part of the transition planning process, while recognizing the answers to those questions will be diverse and individualized, as the spectrum itself.
An Educator's Guide by the Organization for Autism Research
To address these issues, we have developed this new guidebook, Life Journey Through Autism: An Educator's Guide. It is designed to give teachers and other education professionals an introduction to autism, its characteristics, and some of the methods employed in the teaching of students with autism. Each of these topics could merit an entire volume of its own; therefore, this guide is intended to serve as a starting point for parents and educators as they seek to learn more.
Wrightslaw
Parents, advocates, educators, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, up-to-date information about special education law and advocacy for children with disabilities. (Search: advocacy)
State Resources
Kentucky Department of Education
The Kentucky Department of Education is responsible for providing support and direction for all public schools in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Their website includes information on all aspects of public education programs, including those that impact and help to direct special education programs. (Search: exceptional children, special needs)
Kentucky Department of Education Educational Cooperative Networks
Kentucky has a host of educational cooperatives that provide assistance and expertise for the benefit of their member school districts. The cooperatives provide comprehensive educational services and programs that support the member districts and their schools in their school improvement efforts. Member districts also work through the cooperatives to maximize their purchasing power, thereby improving their fiscal efficiency. A listing of contact information for both general education and special education cooperatives are provided. (Search: special education cooperatives)
Kentucky Department of Education's Parent Resource Library
The Parent Resource Library provides parents of exceptional children information and links to available resources across the Commonwealth. (Search: parent resource library)