Education Advocacy If you are struggling to get your child the help they need to succeed at school, we can help. We can ensure that testing is done in a timely manner, ARD meetings are scheduled and appropriate services are provided.
Guardianship If your special needs child is turning eighteen soon, but will need help managing their own affairs, we can help put a guardianship in place.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
It is very important that you make your request in writing and keep a copy for your records. The school must act on your request within a set period of time, so it is important that you have documentation of when you began the process.
No! The Response to Intervention (RtI) program is often used to assist students who are struggling in school, however, you do not have to wait to see if RtI is successful before requesting special education testing.
The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) spells out exactly what special education services your child will receive at school. The IEP is a legally binding document and cannot be changed without a meeting & notice to you.
A guardianship petition can be filed six months prior to the youth’s 18th birthday. It is important to begin the process early because once your child turns 18, you will no longer be able to make decisions regarding their medical care, schooling or living arrangements.
Obtaining legal guardianship is a lengthy process that often takes months to complete through the legal system, so don’t wait until the last minute to start the process.
If the proposed ward’s only income is from social security payments, a guardianship of the person is sufficient.
However, if the proposed ward has other assets, you may need a guardianship of the estate in order to manage their finances.
You may also wish to consider a special needs trust so that the proposed ward continues to qualify for social security benefits.