This fillable “All About Me” template from FFF gives families and students a simple way to share critical information with teachers, staff and others who can benefit from the essential key facts about a child or youth.
This was shared as part of our “Just So You Know… Strategies for Nontraditional Families to Share Their Information with Schools” training. It can be used by any family or student.
Fill in the blanks
Instructions
Sample completed All About Me
From the Virginia Department of Education, this launch page offers a copy of state regulations for implementation of IDEA, and other state and federal special education policies.
Originally broadcast live on December 12, 2024, this FFF webinar reviews key components and considerations of individualized education programs (IEP). Specific strategies for strengthening present level of performance statements and IEP goals are offered.
Webinar presentation slides
Recording of IEP Goals webinar
From the Virginia Department of Education, this technical assistance document enhances training and guidance on the development of Individualized Education Program (IEPs) for students with disabilities by incorporating more specific examples of high quality present levels of academic achievement and functional performance descriptions (commonly known as the present level of performance), annual goals, and postsecondary transition sections. The guide provides an introduction to the present level of performance descriptions and examples of aligned goals for pre-kindergarten through postsecondary transition IEPs. Additional resources for IEP development and suggestions on how to use the guide during local professional development activities are provided.
Standards-Based IEP Technical Assistance
The U.S. Department of Education’s Using Functional Behavioral Assessments to Create Supportive Learning Environments guidance is designed to help schools and early childhood programs better support students’ behavioral needs. This guidance focuses on evidence-based practices to support students, with or without disabilities, whose behavior interferes with learning, and is part of the Department’s effort to reduce exclusionary discipline.
An FBA can help with understanding the function and purpose of a child’s specific, interfering behavior and factors that contribute to the behavior’s occurrence and non-occurrence for the purpose of developing effective positive behavioral interventions, supports, and other strategies to mitigate or eliminate the interfering behavior.
The guidance, developed by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), provides educators and families with information, tools, and resources to support the broader use of FBAs and behavioral plans for students with and without disabilities. The guidance describes an FBA, addresses common characteristics of an FBA and behavioral plans, explains how FBAs can inform instructional strategies, identifies guiding principles to support effective development and implementation, highlights federal funding sources for educator training related to FBAs, and provides technical assistance resources to support implementation.
FBA Guidance
The 2022 Virginia Assistive Technology Tools and Strategies: Resource Guide provides instructional strategies, AT solutions, modifications, accommodations, and examples used to address areas of need identified through the AT consideration process to support student success.
There are two Resource Guide PDFs: an ADA Compliant version and a printable table version.
This document from Virginia Department of Education provides a summary of resources and policy changes following the passage of House Bill 777 into law in 2024, Enrollment of and Provision of Free Public Education for Certain Students; Kinship Care and Foster Care.
The law provides that certain provisions of law relating to continuity of public-school enrollment and attendance, and immediate enrollment for students in foster care, apply to a student who has transitioned out of foster care and whose custody has been transferred to the student’s parent or prior legal guardian, or who has been emancipated.
If a student in a kinship care arrangement moves into a different school division during the school year as a result of safely returning home, being emancipated, or transitioning to a new kinship care arrangement, such student shall be deemed a resident in the previous school division of residence for the remainder of the school year for the purpose of tuition-free enrollment and attendance.
These three fact sheets, published in June 2024, offer specific guidance on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act protections for students with Sickle Cell Disease, Cancer and Epilepsy.
The fact sheets include information on how the conditions may impact the student’s experience in school, what might a school need to do to address a student’s condition, and remedies if the school is not meeting its obligations.
Four additional fact sheets were published in December 2024 for students with Migrane, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Narcolepsy and students who Stutter.
Sickle Cell fact sheet
Epilepsy fact sheet
Cancer fact sheet
Stutter fact sheet
Narcolepsy fact sheet
Migrane fact sheet
Inflammatory Bowel Disease fact sheet
From the Parent Educational Advocacy and Training Center (PEATC), this 2024 fact sheet summarizes new guidance from the Virginia Department of Education on the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program. VAAP is a specialized assessment designed for students in grades 3-8 who have significant cognitive disabilities and are not in the Standards of Learning (SOL curriculum).
VAAP Resource Document
On January 28, 2021, the Board of Education revised eligibility criteria and processes for the administration of locally-awarded verified credit due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19. Please see the Board of Education’s Emergency Guidelines for Locally-Awarded Verified Credits for details on locally-awarded verified credit options.
This webpage clarifies options for locally-awarded verified credits needed for Virginia’s advanced studies diploma and standard diploma requirements.
VDOE webpage re: Credit Accommodations
Revised in 2023, this Guide from the Virginia Department of Education offers an overview of special education policies and procedures for the state.
Virginia Family's Guide to Special Education
This Virginia Department of Education page links to official technical assistance and policy guidance documents related to special education in the state.
These resources were developed to provide professional development and technical assistance to parents, school personnel, and other consumers. All resources are intended to provide guidance for addressing the regulatory requirements and instructional elements needed for a student’s free appropriate public education (FAPE).
VDOE technical assistance and guidance documents
Clarifications from the US Office of Special Education Programs and the Virginia Department of Education in spring 2023 that clarifies responsibilities of schools to allow a parent or caregiver to request an initial evaluation of child suspected of having a disability. Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multitiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) cannot be used to delay or deny an initial evaluation.
3/14/23 Federal clarifications including links to two earlier memoranda
4/21/23 Virginia Superintendents' Memo
This webpage provides updated information about available accommodations for earning credits needed for Virginia’s Standard and Advanced Studies diplomas.
VDOE Credit Accommodations for students with disabilities
From the US Office of Special Education programs, this set of guidance Questions and Answers addresses special education (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA) requirements applicable to children with disabilities placed by their parents or caregivers in private schools, who are not enrolled in public school system.
This was updated in February 2022.
Q & A guidance
This brief article from Understood.org overviews some education issues specific to children and youth in foster care to foster/resource parents.
Released on July 19, 2022, the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) published several policy documents and guides to help public elementary and secondary schools fulfill their responsibilities to meet the needs of students with disabilities and avoid the discriminatory use of student discipline.
The resources are the most comprehensive guidance on the civil rights of students with disabilities concerning student discipline and build on the Department’s continued efforts to support students and schools through pandemic recovery.
Questions and Answers: Addressing the Needs of Children with Disabilities and IDEA's Discipline Provisions from OSERS
Stakeholders' Guide: Positive, Proactive Approaches to Supporting Children with Disabilities from OSERS
Dear Colleague Letter: Addressing the Needs of Children with Disabilities and IDEA's Discipline Provisions
Dear Colleague Letter: Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Fact Sheet: Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
From the Virginia Department of Education, this 2021 guidance offer is an addendum to the Virginia Department of Education’s Evaluation and Eligibility For Special Education and Related Services: Guidance Document and Guidance on Evaluation and Eligibility for the Special Education Process Appendix A (Sample Evaluation and Eligibility Forms). The Supplemental Guidance provides information about data sources that may be used to inform eligibility for special education services or a need for a related service, as well as information to assist in the local interpretation for terminology in Virginia special education regulations that are not clearly defined (e.g., determining “adverse educational impact” and determining “need for specially designed instruction”).
This article by FFF Executive Director Kelly Henderson offers an overview of special education considerations for children and youth in foster care. It was published in Fostering Families Today magazine in July 2021.
Article on website
PDF version of article
Delivered on February 22, 2022 by FFF staff experts, this was first in the Winter 2022 Accessing Special Education: Evaluation & Eligibility Basics webinar series. This session covered initial referral and evaluation processes, timelines and requirements. Eligibility categories and approaches were shared.
Recording of webinar
Presentation slides
Broadcast live on March 18, 2021, this webinar from FFF covered the topics of referral, evaluation and eligibility for special education.
Webinar recording
Getting through the Gate slides
This fillable Word document can be used to create and customize a written agreement between student, parent/caregiver, and school staff. Customize areas and actions and clarify recognitions and rewards.