Children With Special Needs
If you have a child with special needs and are preparing to enter the public school system, it may seem overwhelming! Where do you begin? What services can your child get? How will you know you are making the right decisions?
A good place to start is with your child's doctor. Make sure the doctor sends all records to the school. As the parent or guardian, be sure to communicate with the school as soon as possible. Ask the school to begin formal testing by the specialists within the school district. After this point, if your child is found to have special needs, there may be many meetings. While this may seem like an endless stream of meetings, it is important that you be present! You know your child best and are your child's most important advocate.
Taking the time at the beginning of the process to get the best services for your child is critical. It lays the groundwork for future success. If you have any questions in your mind about something discussed at a meeting, do not hesitate to ask and continue to ask until you understand fully what is being recommended. There is no such thing as a "stupid" question.
You should receive a copy of all the special education policies from your student's teacher. This will include what your rights and responsibilities are. Keep in mind that most of the policies are required by federal law. For more information on helping your child with special needs refer to "Student Services" within Denver Public Schools. They can be reached at: http://sts.dpsk12.org/
Always remember that you are not alone in getting help for your child. Special education law exists to protect your child's right to an education. There are many community resources for parents of students with differential needs. Learn about them. Often the best support comes from other parents with similar needs.
Resources for Help
Denver Options
Denver Options is a nonprofit organization that specializes in supports and services for:
- Children with delays in their development,
- Children and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities, and
- Adults with Developmental Disabilities.
For more information, call 303-636-5603 or visit their website at: http://www.info@denveroptions.org.
United Way-211
303-433-8383
http://www.unitedwaydenver.org
Special Olympics
303-592-1361
http://www.specialolympicsco.org
Mile High Downs Syndrome
A non-profit organization which serves families of children and adults with Downs Syndrome, and interested professionals in the Mountain States region. Their mission is to assure inclusion and enhance independence of people with Downs syndrome.
303-797-1699
http://www.mhdsa.org
Family Voices of Colorado
http://www.familyvoicesco.org
National Dissemination Center For Children With Disabilities
Another great website for parents which focuses on finding help for young children with disabilities from Birth-age 5.
http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/parent/pa2txt.htm
Special Education Terms
IEP - Individualized Educational Program. When a student is determined, via testing with a team of specialists, to have a disability, an Individualized Educational Program will be developed to meet those needs. The plan will describe the child's needs and establish goals and special services that will help the child meet those goals. IEP's vary from student to student. IEP's are reevaluated every year to establish new goals. Every 3 years the child will be re-evaluated to determine if he or she still qualifies for these services. If you are unclear as to what is included in your child's IEP, talk to your child's teacher. For additional information refer to: http://sts.dpsk12.org as well as the section on Special needs.
Section 504 - A student receives a 504 designation if the student requires services or accommodations in order to access educational opportunities. Usually this does not include modifications in the educational curriculum as you might see in an IEP. The types of accommodations vary greatly from student to student and are designed to address your specific student's needs. If your child has a 504 designation and you do not know what the specifics are, talk to your child's teacher.