Education Notes

Education and School

• Basic Facts:

  • Gather essential information about the child's education.
  • School, grade, grade appropriateness, recent grades, attendance, and transportation.

• Disabilities:

  • If a child has a disability impacting learning, the school needs to be informed.
  • Provide relevant documentation (psychological, mental health, psychiatric evaluations, or records from previous schools).

• Fair and Appropriate Education:

  • Federal laws mandate a fair and appropriate education for all children based on their abilities.
  • Focus should be on meeting individual needs, not just standardized targets.

• School Personnel:

  • High school social workers are generally well-informed.
  • Assistant principals may be more familiar if behavioral problems exist.
  • Special education specialists are key contacts for children in special education.

• IEP Meetings:

  • Regular meetings occur, often focusing on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
  • Active involvement is encouraged.
  • Schools value input from multiple sources to determine the best educational path for the child.

• Confidentiality:

  • Consult with an attorney regarding confidentiality concerns.
  • Determine what information can be shared with the school to support the child's education.

• Case Managers:

  • Case managers (representing DCF) can often share more information with the school than others due to their role.
  • They can confirm details or speak in generalities.

• School Liaisons:

  • Hillsborough County Schools have district employees who act as school liaisons.
  • They help children in specific situations and can communicate effectively with school staff.
  • Example: A liaison intervened to ensure a child received necessary special education services.

• Individualized Education Programs (IEPs):

  • Governed by federal law, IEPs are for children with diagnosed disabilities requiring specialized education services.
  • The IEP outlines:
    • Areas of difficulty.
    • Goals for the child.
    • Strategies to achieve those goals.
    • Progress tracking and annual reviews.

• Disabilities Eligibility

  There is a specific list under federal law, of different types of disabilities that qualify children for assistance:

• 504 Plans:

  • For children with disabilities who don't require specialized education but need accommodations.
  • Examples: preferential seating or a separate testing environment for a child with distractibility.
    *Seating them in the front of the class
    *Testing in a room by themselves

• IEP vs. 504:

  • IEPs stem from education law, while 504 plans originate from civil rights law.
  • IEPs often phase out by high school, but 504 plans can continue.
  • Neither IEPs nor 504s exist in college.

• District Foster Child Liaison:

  • These individuals can assist in communicating with school staff and securing necessary services.

• Educational Surrogate:

  • Certified individuals who act as educational decision-makers for children without parents to attend meetings or approve special testing.
  • Needed in cases where parents aren't involved.

• Practical Considerations:

  • Schedule transitions (home moves, reunifications) strategically to minimize disruption.
  • Avoid mid-week moves or changes during the school year.

• Suspensions:

  • Suspending a child for behavior related to a disability may violate federal law.
  • Exceptions exist if the behavior endangers others.
  • Schools must find alternative solutions for disability-related behaviors.

• Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA):

  • Addresses the right of a child to remain in their current school, for the remainder of the school year, even after a move.
  • School districts must provide transportation. Requires weighing the benefits with potential burdens
  • Long transportation times.
  • This may not always be the best option.

• Daycares:

  • Children should be in licensed daycares unless court-approved exceptions exist (e.g., homeschooling).
  • Visit daycares.
    *Assess the facilities.
    *Atmosphere.
  • Licensed home daycares can be excellent.
  • Larger daycares can vary in quality.
    *Excessive television time.
    *Inadequate playgrounds.
  • Be aware of the atmosphere
    *Noise level.
    *interactions.

• Unobvious Benefits
  *Benefits, especially
  * Assist with extra time for testing
  *A second place for testing.

Vision therapy can help overcome reading issues.
Eyes not working together can also cause reading issues

Psychotropic Medications

• General Process:

  • For children not in the system, medication decisions usually start with a pediatrician.
  • Psych meds alter brain chemistry and require careful consideration.

• Children in the System:

  • Medications must be prescribed by a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner.
  • Consent is required, either by court order or informed parental consent.
  • Informed consent requires direct discussion with the psychiatrist.
    *Requires documentation for the file.
  • The need for medication should be reviewed regularly, with efforts made to reduce medications when possible.

• Medication Awareness:

  • Always ask about medications during visits to ensure you're aware of everything the child is taking.
  • Be alert to potentially undisclosed psych meds that may require special permission.

• Balancing Act:

  • Balance the benefits of medication with potential impacts on learning and behavior.

• Trauma-Informed Perspective:

  • Many children in the system may have PTSD, which manifests differently (fight, flight, freeze, fawn).
  • Medications may address symptoms, but it's important to recognize and address the underlying trauma.

Judicial Review Report

The purpose of this report is to give the courts observations and recommendations.

• Purpose: To provide the court with observations and recommendations.

• Report Types:
  *Judicial review report.
  *Termination of parental rights.
  *Review restrictive placements and residential treatment.

• Timeline: It is important to get these in on time

  • Guardian Ad Litem reviews it.
  • Then forward to an Attorney.
    *Paralegal Files the documents with court.
    *The Attorney Reviews the report.

• Template Sections: Covers 9 Area.
  *This template is fact based on observations, not conclusions.
  *Parties have access to the file and can view.

Foster parents are not party in the case, you need to ask attorney for a copy of report for them.
*Children party can read the reports if they want to.