144: A Guide on How to Navigate Special Education in Schools with Psychologist, Caitlin McLarnon

Do you hear the words “special education” and immediately have a negative thought or emotion about it? Me too! Not because there is anything wrong with our wonderful special education teachers or the programs as a whole, but because I wasn’t aware of all the fantastic resources these programs provide to students. 

There is so much more to special education than what you remember from school. 

Here to share more about how special education programs can help students with a range of learning difficulties is Caitlin McLarnon. Caitlin is a nationally certified school psychologist who has spent the majority of her career at the elementary level in Connecticut but has also worked in New York City with children of all ages. In addition to running special education meetings, she has also been on the other side of the table as a parent, as her oldest had an IEP. 

In this episode, we discuss: 

What is tiered instruction? 

Different types of intervention plans and what they entail. 

What to do if you feel your child has an auditory or visual processing concern.

How a planning and placement team meeting will set you and your child up for success.

Resources: 

Sold a Story Podcast with Emily Hanford - https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/

Connect with Caitlin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlin-mclarnon-rechi-0b54596a/

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Questions:

What are all the different sections of special education that a child might need resources for?

What are some things we might see in our kids that might give us an inkling that we might need to take next steps?

Is tiered support the same in all schools or does it vary?

What is after tiered support if more action is needed?

How long should a child be in tiered support?

How long does a school have from the initial PPT meeting to complete the evaluation and get back with the parents?

What are the differences between an intervention plan, a 504 plan and an IEP? 

How can I make sure that my child is being tested for the right things?

What should we expect as parents as far as follow up?

What can you do as a parent if you don’t think the plan set in place is enough for your child?

If you have a specific concern for your child what is the earliest you can have them evaluated?

Are services ever offered outside of the school day?

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