Blog | Tag: Education
A Quick Guide to Disability Education Terms
Thursday, August 17, 2023
Disability Rights Florida wants to empower students and their supporters to take on their education. We hope that by making these terms more accessible and easier to understand, you’ll have the language and confidence to take on this school year.
Knowing Your Rights: LGBTQ+ Youth with Disabilities
Sunday, June 18, 2023
As with all LGBTQ+ youth, LGBTQ+ youth with disabilities should be aware of laws and regulations that protect them from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Client Assistance Program 38th Anniversary: Thanks to the Rehabilitation Act
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
In light of a very important anniversary, we’re appreciating and reflecting on our Client Assistance Program (CAP). As some may know, Disability Rights Florida (DRF) has nine programs to serve the disability community. CAP which began on February 22, 1984, is one of these nine. So, what better way to honor this anniversary than to highlight CAP and its goals?
2022 Legislative Priorities
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Many bills which have the potential to directly impact people with disabilities have been filed by lawmakers this year. Below are just a few of the issues Disability Rights Florida is focused on for this session.
The Science of Reading and the Role of the IEP
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
What makes a reader proficient? Learning to read requires certain cognitive processes. At its most basic form, learning to read requires the reader to take in information and process that information. It is a mental process that requires some basic skills such as memory, attention, organization of information, retrieval of information, and interpreting information. Many students with disabilities struggle with reading because their disability affects these skills.
COVID-19 and Back to School Guidance & Recommendations
Thursday, August 19, 2021
While the benefits from in-person learning highly outweigh those of online learning, safely transitioning students back to school for the 2021 school year must be the top priority. On July 9, 2021, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 schools. These guidelines provided additional information regarding the promotion of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Compensatory Education and Back to School after COVID-19
Wednesday, August 11, 2021
As parents and students prepare for the upcoming school year, many may be wondering about services and instruction that were missed during the 2020-2021 school year. Although we are starting a new school year, it is important to ensure that any gaps resulting from missed services or instruction resulting in a failure to implement a student’s individual educational plan (IEP) are addressed. You might ask yourself, “How do I know if my child has any academic gaps, and how can I fix them?”
Collaboration and Creativity Are the Keys to Getting Your Child Back to School
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
As the new school year is quickly approaching, we all start to think about what the new school year will look like for students as the pandemic continues. All parents are faced with a tough decision of whether to send their children back to the traditional classroom. This can be daunting for parents with students who have disabilities, especially those with challenging behaviors that may become exacerbated by changes in their school environment.
Mental Health Awareness Month and Tardive Dyskinesia
Tuesday, May 04, 2021
This May Disability Rights Florida is observing our nation’s 72nd Mental Health Awareness Month. This year’s observation is especially important as we recognize how COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted individuals living with mental illness, as well as the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of millions of individuals worldwide. We begin with a week of special awareness for Tardive Dyskinesia (TD), one of the most serious and stigmatizing side effects of antipsychotic medications used to treat mental illness.
The 45th Anniversary of the IDEA: Meaningful Educational Progress, Not Just Entry to School
Sunday, November 29, 2020
As this is the 45th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), I have been thinking about how this law has impacted the lives of the students with disabilities I have advocated for over the past 20+ years. I have had the pleasure of watching students who previously struggled receive the appropriate supports and services they need to progress, graduate, and move on to college, vocational training, and employment. But even with this law there is still one major barrier to overcome.