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Preparing for your Child's IEP; A Guide for Parents (Recorded slides)

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Preparing for your Child's IEP; A Guide for Parents (Recorded slides)

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Special Education Paperwork for Caregivers

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Special Education Paperwork for Caregivers

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Recorded PowerPoint presentation.

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Special Education Paperwork For Parents.mp4

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Parent Guide to Special Education: School Age

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Parent Guide to Special Education: School Age

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A Guide to Communicating with School Staff

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A Guide to Communicating with School Staff

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Understanding the Language of Special Education

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Understanding the Language of Special Education

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Common acronyms used in the special education process.

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Understanding the Procedural Safeguards Notice.

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This resource provides an example of a legally defensible evaluation report with explanations included for each section of the report.

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his annotated document provides guidance on the development of the Individual Education Program and includes guidance pertaining to the October 2020 revision to Act 26 related to postsecondary transition. Note: The annotated IEP was reformatted on June 14, 2021. Features were added to enhance navigation, search capabilities, and previewing individual sections. The content did not change. Users may select the “Interactive Annotated IEP” or the “ADA Compliant Annotated IEP.”

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This site includes forms designed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to ensure that students with disabilities receive a free, appropriate, public education. Forms are available for the Infant-Toddler/Early Intervention, Preschool/Early Intervention, and School-age programs, and include both annotated and non-annotated versions. Forms are available as Word and pdf documents.

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This site includes forms designed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to ensure that students with disabilities receive a free, appropriate, public education. Forms are available for the Infant-Toddler/Early Intervention, Preschool/Early Intervention, and School-age programs, and include both annotated and non-annotated versions. Forms are available as Word and pdf documents.

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As a family member, you can request a copy of the draft IEP prior to the IEP team meeting for your review. This document can support you as you read through the draft IEP to highlight questions, comments, or concerns to discuss during the IEP team meeting.

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The Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) offers several publications and webinars to support the development and understand of the IEP Process.

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The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a personalized plan for education services catering to disabled or gifted students.

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What Families Need To Know about Special Education

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What Families Need To Know about Special Education

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Whether your child has recently qualified for special education services, you suspect they need extra help to be successful in school, they are transitioning from preschool to school-age education, or they have been receiving special education for some time, here are some basic topics of interest.

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PaTTAN - What Families Need to Know About Special Education

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Special education is a service, not a place. A child’s needs may impact the ‘what’ and ‘how’ they receive their instruction, but it doesn’t necessarily change the ‘where.’ IDEA law says a student has the right to receive their education in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), meaning learning alongside their same-age peers who do not have disabilities, as is appropriate. Research proves that inclusive education benefits schools, educators, families, classmates, the community, and, particularly, children with disabilities. Strategies as Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

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You have a lot to offer, as families are an important part of the school community. There are many ways you can partner to improve educational outcomes, even if your work or family schedule prevents you from attending meetings and events in person. Here are some ideas of how you can bolster your participation in your child’s education.

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More than 50 years of research and evidence-based practices have proven that when families and educators work together, children do better in school. Working collaboratively with school staff adds to everyone's achievement and benefits the school, your family, and most importantly, your child.

You have a lot to offer, as families are an important part of the school community. There are many ways you can partner to improve educational outcomes, even if your work or family schedule prevents you from attending meetings and events in person. Here are some ideas of how you can bolster your participation in your child's education.

Reach Out to PA Family Organizations

PA Family Network, your local intermediate unit (IU), plus others that support families in special education. Most of these are staffed by parents of children and young adults with disabilities. Take advantage of their experience and expertise; learn more about special education best practices, attending trainings and conferences on scholarships, and many other resources.

FAMILIES TO THE MAX ("F2MAX") - Join the PA Statewide Network in bringing family voice to education. F2MAX is a group of families, like yourself, and some service providers who network, swap stories and resources, attend free trainings and events (most offered virtually), and teach and empower family leadership. Participate at your level of interest and ability; there is no obligation or required time commitment.

PaTTAN's Family Resource Group - Be supported by professionals and parents of children with sensory disabilities, e.g., blind/visually impaired, deaf or heard of hearing, deaf-blind.

Participate in School and Community Groups
School Board Meetings - Attend and provide public comment, either through email or in person, on achievements, suggestions on improving the school's practices and outcomes, or questions about curriculum, district and school policies, and ways you can contribute.

PTA/PTO/HSA (parent/teacher or home/school organizations) - You can make a difference by having your voice heard. Learn more at the National PTA or check with the school's administration office. Likewise, see if your school or district has a group for families of children receiving special education services. If not, ask parents to help you start one that focuses on positive ways to partner with your school and community. Invite educators and community representatives to join and collaboratively improve student achievement and school success.

Your local Right to Education Local Task Force (LTF) - Every IU in Pennsylvania has a group of dedicated, involved families, educators, and community representatives that discuss how to improve special education in your local area. Ideas, concerns, and suggestions are then shared with the PA State Task Force.

Offer Family Support
Skills and talents of family members - Do you or a family member have experience in an area of study, like being a scientist or an artist? Talk to your child's teachers, administrators, and counselors about how you can share that information with students, faculty, and other families.

Support your child's education at home - Ask teachers for ways you can provide consistency between school and home. If you and school staff do or say the same thing, or use the same tools, technology, or communication method, that will help your child learn.

Share educational resources - Send links to professional development training and conference announcements, publications, and other tools with teachers, administrators, and other school staff. Schools can apply for customized support from PaTTAN and their IU in various areas of education, such as Family and Community Engagement.

Engage Your Child
Communicate about school - Ask your child to share their favorite thing they are doing in a class. Try to avoid asking, "What did you do in school today," because you'll most likely get the universal student answer, "Nothing."

Support IEP engagement - Have your child participate in their IEP process in any way that is appropriate and comfortable for them. See PaTTAN's Student-Led IEP Process to see how this is possible for any child, at any age, with any disability.

Speak with your child, as you feel is appropriate, about their skills, talents, their differences in learning style, and need for extra help in school. Encourage them to build and grow their self-advocacy skills, confidence, and independence, and to become leaders in their education and future lives. Explain what their IEP is and how it helps them and their teachers.

Help them become familiar with some words and phrases in their special education journey and what they mean with regards to their IEP.

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PaTTAN - Partnering in Your Child’s Education

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More than 50 years of research and evidence-based practices have proven that when families and educators work together, children do better in school. Working collaboratively with school staff adds to everyone’s achievement and benefits the school, your family, and most importantly, your child.

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Preparing for your Child's IEP; A Guide for Parents (PDF of slides)

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Preparing for your Child's IEP; A Guide for Parents (PDF of slides)

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SAT Process Presentation for parents 2024 Presentation

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2024 Presentation: School Age Transition

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2024 Presentation: School Age Transition

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The Pennsylvania State Task Force is charged with ensuring that the mandate and spirit of the Right to Education Consent Agreement are carried out throughout the commonwealth. The Right to Education was launched initially as a statewide education campaign designed to identify and locate school-aged children with intellectual disabilities. The State Task Force now addresses the educational needs of all children with disabilities.

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Chairperson- Dr. Amy Pastork

PA Department of Education Bureau of Special Education
Asst Director Bureau Special Education
apastorak@pa.gov

Chairperson- Timothy Krushinski

PA Department of Education Bureau of Special Education
Policy Advisor
tikrushins@pa.gov

Ken Oakes

Arc of PA
Arc of PA Representative
kennethwoakes@gmail.com

TBD

The Office of Developmental Programs
State Task Force DHS Liaison

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State Task Force Meeting- September   09/24/25 10AM to 12PM

State Task Force Meeting- November11/05/2025 10AM to 12PM

State Task Force Meeting-January  01/21/2026 10AM to 12PM

State Task Force Meeting-April04/15/2026 10AM to 12PM

State Task Force Meeting-May 05/20/2026 10AM to 12PM

★ PDE Conference-February 25-27, 2026.   -Hershey Lodge Hershey, PA

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Coming Soon!

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District contact information for Lancaster-Lebanon counties.

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Copies of Meeting Minutes can be found here.

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1.Individual advocacy and problem-solving referrals

2.Collaborative resource hub

3.Constructive resolution of systemic issues

4.Reports to the State Task Force

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•Amy Fisher, Arc Representative and Chair

•Chanda Telleen, Lancaster-Lebanon IU 13 and Vice-chair

•Jeremy Sweigart, Lancaster-Lebanon IU 13 POC

•Fromy Rivera, Parent

•Katie Herrmann, Behavioral Health

•April Freeman, LEA Representative, Palmyra SD

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Join Zoom Meeting

https://iu13.zoom.us/j/9136753455?omn=98416342697

Meeting ID: 913 675 3455

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The most current version of Procedural Safeguards.

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The Local Task Force may be contacted via email at ltf@iu13.org.

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2025 Presentation: School Age Transition

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2025 Presentation: School Age Transition

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SAT Process Presentation for parents 2025

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Beth Manyara from the Office of Dispute Resolution. Topic-Mediation and Facilitated IEPs. www.odr-pa.org

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IU13 Office of Dispute Resolution Presentation, 5_4_2026