How to Get Learning Accommodations at School

How to Get Learning Accommodations at School Some students struggle in school and need more support than is typically found in the traditional classroom, but that extra support isnt always easy to come by. For college students, typically the institution will require that the student provide documentation and request accommodations in a timely manner, and most will have the resources available to meet the students needs. However, the same isnt always true at secondary schools or middle/elementary schools. For schools who dont have robust academic support programs, students may be  forced into special education classrooms or they may be required to stumble along without accommodations in the traditional classroom.   However, there are options for students struggling in school, and one of those options is a private school. Unlike public schools, parochial and private schools do not have to grant students with learning disabilities accommodations. This ruling falls under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act  and is a direct result of the fact that private schools dont receive public funding. These private schools also have a pass when it comes to the need to follow the regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which states that public schools must grant students with disabilities a free appropriate public education. In addition, unlike public schools, private schools do not offer students with disabilities IEPs, or Individual Educational Plans. Private Schools: Varying Resources and Accommodations Because they do not have to adhere to these federal laws governing the education of students with disabilities, private schools vary in the support they grant to students with learning and other disabilities. While years ago, private schools often said that they did not accept students with learning issues, today, most schools accept students who have diagnosed learning issues, such as dyslexia and ADHD, and other issues such as autistic spectrum disorder,  recognizing that these issues are actually common, even among very bright students. There are even a number of private schools who cater to the needs of students with learning differences. Some private schools for learning differences were founded specifically for students whose learning challenges  dont allow them to enter the mainstream classroom. The goal is often to support students and teach them to understand their issues and develop coping mechanisms that allow them to enter the mainstream classroom, but some students remain in these specialized schools for their entire high school careers.   Dedicated Learning Specialists In addition, many private schools have psychologists and learning specialists on staff who can help students with learning issues organize their work and refine their study skills.  As such, a number of mainstream private schools even offer academic support program, ranging from basic tutoring to more comprehensive academic support curriculums that provide students with a personal educational expert to help them better learn how they learn and understand the challenges they have. While tutoring is common, some schools go beyond that and offer organizational structure, time management skill development, study tips, and even provide advice on working with teachers, classmates and handling workloads.   Private schools also may be able to grant accommodations to help students in school, including the following: extra time on testsuse of a computer or tablet for writing in-class essays and assignmentshelp from a learning specialist to learn how to prepare for tests, study, organize study materialsuse of a private room for testing or work If youre thinking of private school and either know or suspect that your child may need extra assistances, consider these steps you might pursue to determine if the school can meet your childs needs: Get Started with Professional Evaluations If you havent already, make sure to have your child evaluated by a licensed professional. You may be able to have the evaluation conducted by the local school board, or you may ask your private school for the names of private evaluators. The evaluation should document the nature of your childs disabilities and the required or suggested accommodations. Remember, that while private schools arent required to grant accommodations, many offer basic, reasonable accommodations, such as extended time on tests, for students with documented learning issues. Meet with Professionals at the School before you apply Yes, even if youre just applying to the school, you can request meetings with the academic specialists at the school. Assuming you have the testing results available, you may set up appointments. You would likely coordinate these meetings through the admission office, and they can often be combined with a school visit or sometimes even an Open House, if you provide advance notice. This allows both you and the school to assess whether or not your childs needs can be properly met by the school. Meet with Professionals at the School after youre accepted Once youre accepted, you should schedule a time to meet with your childs teachers and learning specialist or psychologist to begin developing a plan for success. You can discuss the results of the evaluation, the proper accommodations for your child and what this means in terms of your childs schedule. Here are more strategies about how to advocate for your child with learning issues. Article edited by Stacy Jagodowski.

Why Starting and Staying Organized Is Critical To Marketing Success

Why Starting and Staying Organized Is Critical To Marketing Success Every day, consider your marketing career mindset. You can plan all you want, but at some point, you need to get to work, create something your audience will love, and launch it. You’ll probably make mistakes and face roadblocks along the way. But whatever goal you have for your marketing strategy, getting and staying organized will help you on your path to success. Today, we’re talking to Kelly Napoli, who is the content marketing coordinator at Obermiller Nelson Engineering (ONE). Learn how to collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs), importance of taking risks with your marketing, and why starting is more important than anything else. ONE is trying a bit of everything with its content marketing to see what works and what doesn’t Marketers should pick SMEs’ brains to figure out what clients find interesting It works better and smoother to have a conversation with SMEs vs. asking them to write marketing content Lessons Learned: Once you’ve got a plan, implement it or nothing gets done Personas: Have conversations about your target market Provide audience with content that’s beneficial for them; at the same time, you don’t necessarily want to give away your secret sauce Efficient collaboration with remote teams involves utilizing tools, including phones and video chats Email is not always the most efficient way to communicate advances you through the collaboration and communication process Organization is Key: Find what works for you; for ONE, it’s You pay for software, so use it; focus on what needs to get done If you have multiple projects and tasks, stay organized by using task templates and Excel spreadsheets Going from two to four new blog posts monthly to be consistent and productive; publish content to produce results and influence certain perceptions Get organized in chaos behind marketing management; turn to , learn from your mistakes, and find software to help you stay organized Links: Seth Godin Obermiller Nelson Engineering Start with Why by Simon Sinek Write and send a review to receive a care package If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Kelly Napoli: â€Å"Since we’re just starting out, we’re kind of trying a little bit of everything to see what works and what doesn’t.† â€Å"I’m not that subject-matter expert. Working with that content partner has been huge.† â€Å"You can spend hours and hours and hours putting together a plan, but somebody’s got to implement it, otherwise nothing gets done.†