Guardianship: A Last Resort
September 21, 2022 at 12pm
Join Robert Lodge, Staff attorney at Disability Rights Pennsylvania to explore and learn about alternatives to guardianships, and why this should be the last option. Guardianship should be the last option after several other less restrictive options are attempted. We will review these less restrictive options which allow the party to have as much freedom and dignity as possible. We will also discuss limitations that can be placed on the guardianship and dispelling myths about guardianship.
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Filing a State Complaint
September 20, 2022 at 12pm
"The school isn't following my child's IEP. "
"My child has not had speech therapy for 4 weeks."
"My child's bus picks him up 1/2 hour before all the other kids are done with school."
WHAT DO I DO?
You may be interested in learning more about how to file a State Complaint.
Complaints are a Procedural Safeguard built into the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - protecting your child’s right to a free, appropriate public education. They are in place to ensure that families have a means to resolve a procedural dispute with the school. State Complaints can be an alternative to mediation and due process and are a way to effectively resolve an issue with the district with minimal time and no cost. Filing a State Complaint is not a difficult process! Join us to find out more about it.
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Accessing Communication in School
Tuesday, October 11th, 2022 at 12pm
Join Jordyn Zimmerman, MEd, full-time autistic Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) user and educator and Tauna Szymanski, JD, MPA, a neurodivergent attorney and Executive Director of CommunicationFIRST, for an hour-long lunchtime discussion about how families can understand and support meaningful access to effective and reliable communication for students with disabilities. In this virtual session, families will learn about the importance of ensuring that students have access to robust AAC tools and supports as early as possible; as well as how to make sure that students have access to communication as they transition to adulthood. The legal challenges that families and transitioning youth may face and possible strategies for advocating for full access to communication in school will also be discussed.
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Jordyn Zimmerman, M.Ed., obtained her bachelors degree in Education Policy from Ohio University and her Masters of Education from Boston College. As a nonspeaking autistic student who was denied access to effective augmentative communication until she was 18, Jordyn has personal experience challenging the educational status quo, which is featured in the 2021 documentary, This Is Not About Me.
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Tauna Szymanski, JD, MPA received her law degree from Stanford Law School, and a MA and Undergrad degrees from Princeton and Carleton College. Tauna is a neurodivergent attorney and the Executive Director of the nation's only civil rights organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights and interests of the estimated 5 million people in the United States who cannot rely on speech to be heard and understood.
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Education Law Center's Back-to-School Guide 2022
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Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a U.S. government program that helps many low income households pay for broadband service and internet connected devices. Learn more about the program and eligibility on their website.
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Disability Voting Rights Week
September 12-16, 2022
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Disability Voting Rights Week is a national, nonpartisan initiative this September to build the power and presence of the disability vote. Disability Voting Rights Week is coordinated by the American Association of People with Disabilities’ (AAPD) REV UP Voting Campaign.
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Katie Smith Youth Leadership Award
The Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network is proud to announce a new award to recognize youth with disabilities who are leaders in their communities! This award is inspired by the late Katie Smith, who was a fierce champion for disability rights and youth voice. Katie dedicated much of her life to empowering youth to see themselves as leaders and make positive change in the world. They hope this award will uphold that legacy and continue to support a new generation of youth leaders!
For questions or to learn more about PYLN, email pyln.gb@gmail.com
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