Right to Education Project's October Newsletter

Welcome to the Right to Education Project (REP) Community Newsletter!

We are Legal Aid of NC’s statewide education justice project. We use this newsletter to share information about upcoming events and resources for parents and families, as well as tips on how to help your student be successful and feel safe in school.

Please forward this newsletter to anyone that you think might be interested and encourage them to sign up to receive it here

Para leer este boletín en español, ¡haga clic aquí!

Upcoming Events & Initiatives

Exceptional Children's Assistance Center

Our amazing partners at the Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC) are offering free webinars within the month of November.

November 2, 2023: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Healthcare: What You Need to Know. Click here to register

November 15, 2023: Transitioning to Adult Health Care: How Students and Families Can Prepare. Click here to register

Visit their website to learn about more upcoming webinars, events, and information! Home - Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC) (ecac-parentcenter.org)

Resource Spotlight

We are excited to highlight resources from our project and partners!

Has your student or a student you're connected to, experienced bullying in school?

Amongst many observations during the month of October, it is also National Bullying Prevention Month. We want to share a few of our resources as well as additional information that is available to support any and all advocacy!

Quick Information:

Under North Carolina law, students receive legal protections when bullying occurs if the bullying happens at school, on the bus, or at a school-sponsored event and it:

Makes the student afraid for their safety or their safety of their belongings; and/or
Creates a hostile environment for the student that makes it difficult for them to learn or otherwise participate in the school environment.

It is very important that you review your local school district policies to understand the process that your district requires.

In this spreadsheet, we have compiled links to all local school district policies. To find your charter school policy, check your school’s handbooks or policy manual.

If you or your student are struggling to have a conversation around bullying, or you are concerned that bullying is occurring, review this resource on how to talk about bullying.

Consider researching if there is a support group for youth in your area or school who have had similar experiences of bullying. If not, have a conversation with the school that you are interested in setting this up.
Consider connecting with nationally- or state-accredited anti-bullying organizations and initiatives that focus on empirically-based interventions:
Pacer.org
StopBullying.gov
Engage in school or district wide advocacy to ensure healthy and safe schools (see strategies in above question for opportunities).

Lastly, If you are interested in connecting with other individuals, parents, and families who are navigating similar issues related to the complaint/grievance process, please visit our Parent Advocacy & Support webpage for statewide and local opportunities for support.

We sent out a Special Newsletter Highlighting National Bullying Prevention and Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Click here to view it in English Click here to view it in Spanish

REP's Tip of the Month!

Understanding What You Are Reading:

IEP Edition

IEPs have A LOT of information, but do we always know what is, or should be included and HOW to understand it?

A well-written IEP should include the following items:

Student Profile: This includes student strengths, parents concerns and goal.

Present Level(s) of Academic and Functional Performance (PLAAFP): This includes current and relevant information about a student's specific area, or skill. Such as: Reading, Social-Emotional, Physical Therapy, etc.

Consideration of Special Factors: This includes if the student is an English-Language learner, if the student requires the use of Braille or has a documented hearing loss, if the student has any behaviors that impede their learning or others, etc.

Secondary transitions: This includes post-secondary supports for students starting at age 14.

Measurable Annual Goals: This includes yearly goals for specific areas in need of specially designed instruction.

Least Restrictive Environment: This includes service delivery time and specifics for Academic, Behavioral, Related Services and more!

Supplemental Aids/Services/Accommodations/Modifications: This includes supports that help a student to access the general curriculum and make progress toward meeting their annual goals.

State and District-Wide Testing: This should include specification and accommodations a student can receive while participating in state and district-wide testing.

Plus, Additional Information: This list is not exhaustive and remember an IEP should be written and tailored to a students' disability-related needs!

Note: NCDPI provides a thorough and detailed example of an IEP, known as the Henry Test IEP. You can find it here.

More Education Resources

Your gift provides legal help to our clients within the prohibitions and conditions enforced by the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). As an LSC funded organization, all non-LSC grants and contributions made to us are subject to restrictions in the Legal Services Corporation Act, 42 U.S.C. 2996 et seq. and LSC's appropriations. Learn more.