Special Education Resources for At-Risk Youth and Their Parents
If your at-risk youth qualifies for special education resources at school, he or she may also qualify for some of the programs and resources on this page. It may be worth taking a look.
Manual on Protecting Educational Rights of Students with Disabilities in Washington State
Statewide Parent Training Information Center (PTI)
Statewide Parent Training Information Center (PTI) is a federally funded program that provides training, resources, and support for parents in Washington State whose children have special learning needs, individuals with disabilities, professionals – anyone interested in people with disabilities. Staff and volunteers work with you one-to-one or provide workshops on various aspects of obtaining appropriate services in the public school system.
Bullying and Harassment
If you are a parent of a child with special needs, you should take extra steps to ensure your child's safety and well being. Your child may be acting out by using drugs and alcohol (or in other ways) due to feelings of inadequacy or from being made fun of or bullied. As a parent, it is your duty to arm yourself with knowledge and approach your child with love and care. Check out the resources from Bully Free World for advice on how to address these issues with your son or daughter.
Transitioning from School to Work
What to do when your son or daughter is ready to move on from school. Whether they completed high school, or their GED, or are just through with school, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) offers support. They can help with choosing a job goal, planning for employment and becoming successfully employed. Check out their site to see if your son or daughter qualifies for this service. DVR website link.
GED Accomodations
Students with disabilities who want to take the GED Tests may be entitled to receive reasonable testing accommodations. If a qualified professional has documented the disability, the candidate should get the appropriate form from the Testing Center:
Accommodations may include, but are not limited to,
- physical disability and chronic-health disability (such as blindness, low vision, hearing impairment, and mobility impairment): "Request for Testing Accommodations—Physical/Chronic Health Disability" form.
- learning or cognitive disability (such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, receptive aphasia, and written-language disorder): "Request for Testing Accommodations—Learning and Other Cognitive Disabilities" form.
- emotional or mental-health disorder (such as bipolar disorder, Tourette's syndrome, and schizophrenia): "Request for Testing Accommodations—Emotional/Mental Health" form.
- Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (inattentive type, hyperactive–impulse type, or combined type): "Request for Testing Accommodations—Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder" form.
Accommodations may include, but are not limited to,
- Audiocassette tests
- Braille or large-print tests
- Vision-enhancing technologies
- Use of video equipment
- Use of a talking calculator or abacus
- Use of a sign-language interpreter
- Use of a scribe (a person who writes down the test-taker's answers)
- Extended testing time