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MOLLY WATSON
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Special Education Dispute Resolution During Covid-19
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSEP) recently issued information regarding...

Molly Watson
Jul 1, 20202 min read
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Secretary of Education DeVos declines to seek Congressional FAPE and LRE waivers to IDEA
On April 27, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education issued a letter to Congress from Secretary of Education DeVos indicating that she is...

Molly Watson
Apr 27, 20201 min read
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Will compensatory Education be Provided to Special Needs Children due to COVID-19 School Closures?
What is compensatory education? Compensatory education is a form of relief that may be granted to a student for the denial of appropriate...

Molly Watson
Apr 27, 20202 min read
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Technology Companies Help Narrow the Student Distance Learning Digital Divide
The COVID-19 health crisis has laid bare the technology gap that exists among California's students. With the necessity that many...

Molly Watson
Apr 22, 20202 min read
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How California's Emergency COVID-19 Law Affects Special Education
On March 17, 2020, the State of California passed law to address issues confronting schools caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Issues...

Molly Watson
Apr 13, 20203 min read
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California Special Education Guidance for COVID-19
Governor Newsom announced last month that California public school campuses will remain closed during the remainder of the school year...

Molly Watson
Apr 6, 20202 min read
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Are Children with IEPs and 504 Plans Entitled to Services During the COVID-19 Outbreak?
During this dark time, the United States Department of Education recently issued written informal guidance regarding the provision of...

Molly Watson
Mar 19, 20204 min read
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Report Finds California Schools Ill Equipped to Serve Students with Special Needs
Approximately 725,000 children in California qualify for K-12 special education services. A policy report issued in February 2020 by...

Molly Watson
Mar 9, 20203 min read
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Should parents ever waive special education rights?
School districts often ask parents to waive special education rights, and sometimes parents choose to waive these rights without any...

Molly Watson
Feb 28, 20202 min read
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Are private school placements appropriate for children with special needs?
An important case, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, has provoked a discussion about the appropriateness of private school...

Molly Watson
Jan 30, 20203 min read
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What is special education stay put?
One of the evils Congress sought to remedy with the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Act which was revised and renamed the...

Molly Watson
Jan 28, 20203 min read
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12 Important Facts about FBAs and BIPs for Children with Maladaptive Behavior
1. A functional behavior assessment (FBA) is a specialized evaluation of a student's behavior. 2. The purpose of the FBA is to determine...

Molly Watson
Jan 13, 20202 min read
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Ninth circuit dismisses student's restraint and seclusion case
On December 24, 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its decision in A.T. v. Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District, et...

Molly Watson
Dec 27, 20192 min read
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Assistive Technology Resources for Children with Dyslexia
Lots of wonderful assistive technology tools and apps are available for parents searching for help for their dyslexic child. The...

Molly Watson
Dec 20, 20191 min read
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Three staff members at Guiding Hands school charged in death of special needs student
Such a tragic case. Back in November 2018, staff at the Guiding Hands School, which is a nonpublic school in El Dorado Hills, California,...

Molly Watson
Nov 13, 20192 min read
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IDEA regulations to go into effect to prevent disparities in treatment of students of color
Back in 2016, the U.S. Department of Education made available to the public final regulations under the Individuals with Disabilities...

Molly Watson
Sep 30, 20191 min read
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Under what circumstances does the IDEA's exhaustion requirement apply?
Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Act "IDEA" to ensure that all children with disabilities have access to a free...

Molly Watson
Sep 6, 20193 min read
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What are the rights of children of undocumented immigrants to a FAPE?
"Anyone who does anything to help a child is a hero to me." Fred Rogers Children of undocumented immigrants have a right to be educated...

Molly Watson
Aug 13, 20192 min read
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Advocates Warn Trump Administration Not To Change IDEA Policy
Disability advocates and former education officials met with Trump administration representatives from the Department of Education last...

Molly Watson
Aug 7, 20191 min read
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