By Frances Shefter, Esq.    When severe weather is predicted, families start preparing long before the...

By: Frances Shefter, Esq.    Wow. What a week.  If you are a parent of a neurodivergent child, you already...

By:  Frances Shefter, Esq. (and mom)    As a mom of two neurodivergent children, I’ve learned to prioritize...

Don’t Let the School Define Your Child’s Potential:  IEPs, Expectations, and Big Dreams  By: Frances...

A Year of Advocacy, Connection, and Building a Village As this year comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting...

  Why Early Detection of ADHD Matters – And What Happens When It’s Missed  By: Frances Shefter, Esq.,...

Behavior Is Communication: Why Punishment Isn’t the Answer  By:  Frances Shefter, Esq. The words “consequence”...

Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference that affects reading, writing, and spelling. While it...

The Power of Data in Your Child’s Educational Story Behind every IEP goal is a story, one built on growth,...

By: Frances Shefter, Esq.    Parenting is hard, and expensive.  Your plate is already full running from...

By:  Frances Shefter, Esq.  If your child has an IEP in Maryland and is approaching age 14, you may have...

By:  Frances Shefter, Esq.  On March 20, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Improving...

By:  Frances Shefter, Esq.    Across the country, lawsuits are challenging the Trump administration’s...

By:  Frances Shefter, Esq.    One of the most pressing issues in special education today is disproportionality—the...

By:  Frances Shefter, Esq.  When parents disagree with a school about their child’s special education...

By:  Frances Shefter, Esq.    In recent years, parents have become more informed than ever about their...

By:  Frances Shefter, Esq.    Across the United States, schools are facing a serious crisis: not enough...

Across the United States, families are filing more complaints against school districts over special education...

By: Frances Shefter, Esq.  When a child receives special education services, it’s essential that their...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  When the federal government took control of the D.C. Metropolitan Police...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  If you’re a parent or educator, you might have heard the term equity...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  If you’re the parent of a Twice-Exceptional (2E) child (i.e. one who’s...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Theo Huxtable, played by the newly departed Malcolm-Jamal Warner, was...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. The Supreme Court’s recent decision to allow the Trump administration to...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Congress recently passed the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” a misnomer...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  I’m going to set the scene. You’re in school, sitting next to your best...

By:  Frances Shefter, Esq.  On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6–3 decision in Mahmoud...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  If you’re the parent of a child receiving special education services,...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Something major just happened that can be game changing for families with...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Imagine a student with a disability gets suspended several times for being...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. Washington, D.C. is working on its budget for Fiscal Year 2026, and there’s...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Summer break is arriving soon! It is time to unwind, perhaps soak up some...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  If you are the parent of a child with special needs, you know how crucial...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  We’ve all seen children who throw massive tantrums, can’t seem to sit...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.    When people hear the term ”ADHD,” they think of a young...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Last week, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at bringing back what...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. If you’re a Washington, DC resident, you’ve likely heard about the city’s...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  If you’ve recently been paying attention to special education, you know...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  What if you can help your child get the supportive services they need...

  By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Disability rights laws are supposed to make life fairer for people...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Have you ever been bullied? As someone who has, it can be a harrowing...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Transitioning from high school to adulthood is a big deal for any student,...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Imagine walking into the school where you’ve taught for the last decade...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  If your child receives special education services, you probably have heard...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Will special education services and protections be kicked out of the U.S....

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Mental health is just as important as an appropriate education for special...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  One of the most dramatic proposals in recent history is President Trump’s...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  For families of students with disabilities, school isn’t just about grades...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Fair treatment of students with disabilities in schools remains a critical...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  One of the most important decisions a parent can make for their child...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. Last week, I wrote a blog post titled, “Addressing Staffing Shortages in...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Staffing shortages are one of the major issues that American schools face...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Some families feel stigmatized by Individualized Education Programs (IEPs),...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. There are many factors that impact who has access to appropriate special...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. People with autism and their families have been pushing Congress to pass...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. Executive functioning helps people plan, organize, initiate and complete...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. In today’s society, there are numerous factors that can cause trauma. Some...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. Imagine sitting in a classroom, excited to learn. Then imagine that you...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. As you are aware, Donald Trump was recently elected President of the United...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. In today’s diverse classrooms, cultural competence is mandatory for students...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. In a post-pandemic world, helping students deal with mental health challenges...

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. There is a new—well, newish—theory that some children, along with a few...

Blog by Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. Last month, the U.S. Department of Education put out a press release...

Ensuring that all students receive the educational support they need is not just a legal responsibility;...

There are a lot of challenges for our older children that are earning a certificate of completion. What...

I know it has been a while since I have blogged and I have several great reasons. 1. We are growing!!!...

There is a reason that IDEA requires a reevaluation every three years. A lot of times I have seen schools...

  §300.320(a)(4) of IDEA says that each child’s IEP must contain a statement of supplementary...

I am excited to let you all know about new services I am offering, Strategy Sessions and Strategy Sessions...

I’m going to tell you a secret that schools don’t want you to know. Three little letters...

Back to school, yay!! It has been a rough 18 months for all of us, and a rocky start of the new school...

The World of Possibilities Disabilities Expo is being held on October 23, 2021 at the Amuel Riggs IV...

I hate when schools start meetings and just keep going instead of checking for understanding. As educators,...

Part eight of the IEP is often neglected. This is your child’s transition services. IDEA requires...

Part seven of the IEP is the date for beginning of services and the frequency, location, and duration...

Hi everyone. Part six of the IEP is the accommodations for district and state assessments. Accommodations...

Part five of the eight parts of an IEP. If you saw my first video in this series, the parts of an IEP,...

  I wanted to share how excited I am to be one of twenty-three experienced special education attorneys...

Part 4 of the 8 parts of an IEP is related services and supplementary aids and services. These can be...

Goals need to be SMART. Okay, what does that mean? Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time...

One of the most important parts of the IEP is Present Levels of Performance (PLOP) or, as the section...

There are so many little parts to the IEP that some parts get overlooked or not even discussed. I have...

Yay! Some of your children are going back to school. I know it has been a rough year and those children...

Did you know there are 8 required parts of an Individualized Education Program? IDEA states that IEPs...

I want to first apologize for not blogging for so long. I have started to Video blog and have a new You...

MCPS Superintendent of schools just send an email stating that MCPS will be virtual only for the entire...

Letter form MCPS Superintendent just emailed. It provides the draft plan for the 2020-21 school year....

The number one question on all parents’ minds right now, is what will school look like in the new...

  Now that the school year is coming to a close, many parents are worried about the summer and...

  Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) posts Technical Assistance Bulletins (TABs) providing...

I found this guide for parents put out by Disability Rights Maryland very helpful to use when developing...

MSDE issued a Technical Assistance Bulletin #20-01 regarding servicing children with disabilities during...

I found this article interesting and wonder what other school districts are doing. My daughter’s case...

I do not even know what to say. I definitely do not agree with teach none if you cannot teach all. However,...

The world of special education can be overwhelming at times.  Lots of acronyms and new vocabulary being...

What are baselines?  In reviewing IEPs, I often get various information in this section.  Some schools...