For many parents, Report Card time is exciting. This is when you get to see how your children are doing at school. You have an opportunity to praise them for their hard work and to problem solve with them around things that are not going so well and turn them into learning opportunities. But for parents who have children with special education needs, this is where the real advocacy work begins. Below, I’ll share some strategies on how to use your child’s report card to advocate for an...

Enrolling your ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) child in kindergarten can be both nerve-racking and exciting for you and your child. Let me walk you through the process for the best outcome. At what age is school mandatory in Ontario? Children who will be 4 years old between the first of January and the end of December are eligible to register for kindergarten for the September of that year. Did you know that full-day kindergarten is not mandatory? In Ontario, it is mandatory for children to...

In the same way that taking data is a key element of applied behaviour analysis, documentation and written communication is the key to effective Special Education Advocacy. What is the benefit of sharing information with the school? If you have a child in elementary school who has special education needs, you will need to know how to write letters to the school. You want your letters to express a desire to work collaboratively for the benefit of your child. By communicating and sharing...