Increased Need in Special Education Resources
August 24, 2023 | Sharon Sedlar
PaFEC has been very busy this summer! Between the budget impasse, traveling, learning new information, building out our website, and expanding our parent reach, we’ve certainly been hopping!
But the most important aspect of our work is helping families understand their options, assisting them in navigating the education system, and providing them with information and resources both in times of calm and distress. As of late and sadly, we’ve been receiving a high volume of requests from distressed parents as this new school year nears – particularly from those whose children require Special Education Services.
- A parent in Lancaster with a child diagnosed with autism after a 4 year battle with the school district, only to once again fight for his rights to dyslexia evaluation and services.
- A parent from Pittsburgh with a child with ADHD switched to homeschool last spring, only to be jailed for 27 days for truancy when the district refused to acknowledge the transfer.
- A parent in a particularly violent South Philly area, whose son has ADHD, seeks placement outside of the district and charter environment, but no funding exists in a private school close to their home.
And these are only a sampling.
Through this journey, we have been able to locate services and build our website with our findings. You’ll find information about:
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
- Free and Appropriate Education
- Act 69 of 2014 (Dyslexia Screening and Early Literacy Pilot Program)
- 504 Plan and Individualized Education Programs
- PA Training and Technical Assistance Network
- An associated specialized section for Literacy, including information on dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and dysgraphia
We hope that these resources will help parents in their time of need. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for or need additional resources and guidance, please feel free to reach out to us!