
ABA: ABA stands for Applied Behavioral Analysis. It is a type of therapy that focuses on improving specific behaviors, such as social skills, communication, reading, and academics as well as adaptive learning skills, such as fine motor dexterity, hygiene, grooming, domestic capabilities, punctuality, and job competence. ABA is effective for children and adults with psychological disorders in a variety of settings, including schools, workplaces, homes, and clinics. It has also been shown that consistent ABA can significantly improve behaviors and skills and decrease the need for special services. In the educational setting, I see ABA applied to children by people who have only attended a workshop on how to write a BIP. This can cause a problem because the BIP will be ineffective so you may need to ask for an IEE for the FBA/BIP (see why you need to know jargon?).
Accommodations: 504s only contain accommodations while an IEP can contain accommodations, modifications, and goals. Accommodations are used to describe an alteration of the environment, curriculum format, or equipment that allows an individual with a disability to gain access to content and/or complete assigned tasks. They allow students with disabilities to pursue a regular course of study. Since accommodations do not alter what is being taught, instructors should be able to implement the same grading scale for students with disabilities as they do for students without disabilities.

AT: Assistive Technology, as defined by 20 USC § 1401(1)(A), says the term “assistive technology device” means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability. So what is considered assistive technology service?
In 34 CFR 300.105 – Assistive technology it says:

If the school says…
If the school says…
If the school says…
If the school says…
If the school says…
I would like to see the data that supports such a conclusion. Typically, we need to review performance data over time, with and without the technology to come to such a conclusion.
If the school says…
If the school says…
If the school says…
If the school says…
If the school says…
If the school says…
If the school says…
I hope this will give you a good start on trying to acquire AT for your child! Remember, support documentation is in the hyperlinks in this section.
BCBA: This is important if you are asking for an FBA. A functional behavior assessment (FBA) is best completed by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). They have more training than other school staff that could be assigned to conduct the assessment.

In the case of a child whose behavior impedes the child’s learning or that of others, the federal regulations require IEP teams to consider the use of positive behavioral interventions, supports, and other strategies to address that behavior. [34 C.F.R. § 300.324(a)(2)(i)] IEP teams have wide latitude in determining how to best address a child’s behavior, including behavioral goals, behavioral supports, and services (such as a behavior coach or counseling services), or through a behavioral intervention plan. Additionally, behavior can be addressed outside of the IEP process through a behavior contract or through the use of informal strategies.
ESY: ESY stands for Extended School Year and this is an important term to know! Often I hear parents say their child was turned down for more schooling during the summer (ESY) because their child did not have significant enough regression-recruitment to qualify for the summer program.
Because ESY services are uniquely designed to provide FAPE to students with disabilities, it is necessary to emphasize that these services are the following:
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Not based on the category of student’s disability – services must be based on the student’s unique educational needs;
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Not limited to summer months;
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Not mandated twelve-month services for all students with disabilities;
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Not a child care service;
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Not required to be provided each day and/or all hours of the school day;
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Not an automatic program provision from year to year;
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Not regular education summer school, compensatory services, or enrichment programs;
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Not required to be provided in a traditional classroom setting;
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Not a predetermined program design; and
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Not a service to be provided to maximize each student’s potential.
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Prohibit the postponement of the decision by the IEP team regarding ESY services until after the summer in order to gather data or to determine what would happen if ESY services were not provided;
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Should allow the decision by the IEP team regarding ESY services to be made early enough to ensure that the parents can exercise their due process rights;
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Not pre-limit the ESY services to a set number of days, hours of service;
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Not restrict the provision of ESY services for administrative convenience;
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Not allow the availability of ESY services to be limited by the financial resources of the local school district; and
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Not limit ESY services to predetermined disability categories nor categorically exclude certain students with disabilities.
- Critical Skills: A critical skill includes any skill determined by the IEP team to be critical to the student’s overall educational progress, including academic, social and behavior, independent living, communication, fine and large motor skills, as well as other identified skills pertinent to receiving FAPE.
- Degree of Progress: The IEP team must review the expected degree of progress on IEP goals targeting critical skills and determine whether the student’s slow rate or lack of progress is likely to prevent the student from educational benefit during the school year without ESY services.
- Emerging Skills/Breakthrough Opportunities: The IEP team determines whether IEP goals targeting critical skills are at a breakthrough point. At this point, the IEP team determines whether the interruption of instruction caused by a school break is likely to prevent the student from educational benefit without ESY services.
- Regression: The IEP team can consider regression which is a substantial loss of any critical skill and reverting back to a performance level than what was previously obtained after a school break without ESY services.
- Recoupment (Recovery): The IEP team can consider lack of recoupment which is the inability to recover a loss of critical skills in a reasonable time following a school break without ESY services. Most students without disabilities recoup skills within a few days after short breaks or a few weeks after longer breaks such as over the summer.
- Nature and/or Severity of the Disability: The IEP team can consider if the nature and/or severity of the student’s disability is likely to prevent the student from educational benefit during the school year without ESY services.
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Does the student need an extensive review to demonstrate previously learned skills?
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What inconsistencies does the student demonstrate in mastered or partially acquired skills after a break in services?
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Has the student reached a critical point of instruction or behavior management where a break in services would have serious, detrimental effects?
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Does the student demonstrate behaviors or critical skill deficits that would cause regression if breaks in programming occur?
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Is there a degenerative medical condition that might cause regression?
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Will a break in programming jeopardize the student’s placement in the least restrictive environment?
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historical data;
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review of progress or previously demonstrated mastery of IEP goals over time;
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data on the rates and inconsistencies of both learning and relearning information and skills using standardized tests, samples of student work, and curriculum-based assessments including pre and post-tests before and after school breaks;
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documented clinical evidence;
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multiple observations from teachers, therapists, parents, and others having direct contact with the student who can interpret instructional implications;
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behavior or skill-based logs;
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attendance information;
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expert opinions; and
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other objective evidence.

FAPE: This is SUPER important to know! Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) defined under Section 504 is:
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education services designed to meet the individual education needs of students with disabilities as adequately as the needs of nondisabled students are met;
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the education of each student with a disability with nondisabled students, to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of the student with a disability;
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evaluation and placement procedures established to guard against misclassification or inappropriate placement of students, and a periodic reevaluation of students who have been provided special education or related services; and
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establishment of due process procedures that enable parents and guardians to:
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receive required notices;
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review their child’s records; and
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challenge identification, evaluation, and placement decisions.
(d) Are provided in conformity with an individualized education program (IEP) that meets the requirements of §§ 300.320 through 300.324
and

Goals: These are found in the IEP and often you will hear Goals referred to as SMART goals. SMART goals will be covered in the next blog post.
The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
Congress reauthorized the IDEA in 2004 and most recently amended the IDEA through Public Law 114-95, the Every Student Succeeds Act, in December 2015. In the law, Congress states:
Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.
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to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living;
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to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities and parents of such children are protected;
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to assist States, localities, educational service agencies, and Federal agencies to provide for the education of all children with disabilities;
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to assist States in the implementation of a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency system of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families;
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to ensure that educators and parents have the necessary tools to improve educational results for children with disabilities by supporting system improvement activities; coordinated research and personnel preparation; coordinated technical assistance, dissemination, and support; and technology development and media services;
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to assess, and ensure the effectiveness of, efforts to educate children with disabilities.
IEE: An IEE is an Individual Educational Evaluation. An IEE can be asked for within one year of the school’s last complete psycho-educational evaluation. Here is the law on IEE.
Once the school conducts its comprehensive testing, and you are unhappy about the evaluation, then you have the right to ask for an IEE. This includes areas NOT tested by the school. Now keep in mind, schools can say NO and then challenge you to Due Process. Don’t let that scare you off if you believe you truly have a good case. During that Due Process hearing, the school has to prove they did adequate evaluations. This could be good if you have a stack of private (medical) evaluations saying one thing and your school evaluations say another thing. Remember, in the end, the MOST important thing is trying to fight for the services your child needs to gain FAPE.
IFSP: This is an Individualized Family Service Plan. An IFSP is developed for children in Early Intervention (EI) from birth to three years old. Also, you may see IFSPs in other forms, like in Arizona, families who qualify for state services from the state’s agency that supplies disability services (DDD) will develop an IFSP for your child.
Please take the time to click on the links in the post to all the reference material. As always, you are welcome to join us for more discussion on the jargon of special education at our FB group, IEP/504 Assistance for parents of public school students from all over the United States.
AESA also runs a special needs homeschool group, Homeschooling Special (Needs) Kids, and Educating Gifted Children is where we discuss topics concerning gifted children and those that are twice exceptional (2e). I hope to see you there!
Parent Alliance for Students with Exceptional Students (PASEN) is meant purely for educational or medical discussion. It contains information about legal or medical matters; however, it is not professional legal or medical advice and should not be treated as such.
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Professional assistance: You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal or medical advice from your attorney or medical provider. If you have any specific questions about any legal or medical matter, you should consult your attorney or medical service provider.
Thank you!
You are quite welcome!
I like this web site so much, saved to bookmarks. “I don’t care what is written about me so long as it isn’t true.” by Dorothy Parker.
This is beyond amazing and useful! Thank you for taking the time to put this together.