Your child or student with a disability has been placed in the general education classroom. You may have concerns or hesitations about their learning and progress in this setting. How do we set them up for success? How do we make this work all day, in every subject, and in extracurricular activities? First, let’s review the concept of placement in IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) which emphasizes that children with disabilities are to be educated to the maximumRead more

While the days are long and hot, the beginning of the school year is just around the corner! As exciting as the beginning of the year is, it can also be stressful for both parents and children. Whether you need planning or advocacy advice for transitions, tips and tricks for behavior, or information about IEPs, PEAK is here to help! From planning for smooth transitions between grades or schools to navigating the IEP, PEAK is offering a handful of FREERead more

So your child has been identified as having a disability. Perhaps you’ve had some concerns about their development and requested an evaluation for special education services. Perhaps your child is transitioning from Part C services (birth-3 years) to Part B (children ages 3-21). In any case, an evaluation has been done to show that your child qualifies for an IEP. Now what? Congratulations! You are now part of your child’s IEP team - and you are the most important memberRead more

Whether you have a child who will be transitioning from preschool to kindergarten, elementary school to middle school, or high school and beyond, transitions can be tumultuous times. And while transitions are a normal and natural time in our lives and necessary for our growth, they can be especially trying when you have a child with a disability. Here are some ideas and insight to make them as seamless as possible. Mindset matters. Good transitions set the tone for positiveRead more

At a recent meeting a question was asked to a group of Parent Training and Information Centers: How do we get families to think and talk about having high expectations for their children with disabilities? The world of parent advocacy is cluttered with many different viewpoints and our children have varying medical and educational needs. No matter our beliefs or where we happen to be on the evolution of our advocacy journey, we all care deeply about our children. SomeRead more

How many of you have been on a trip where you've packed an empty bag inside your suitcase to bring home all the goodies, treasures, and keepsakes to remember your travels? Those of you who will attend the 2019 Conference on Inclusive Education will bring a lot of keepsakes home with you. These will be in the form of renewed perspectives, fresh ideas, an expanded toolkit, new resources, and a broader circle of friendship and community! You'll need to bringRead more

Parents of children with disabilities try to provide the best possible help for their children that they can - often with little to no resources. PEAK Parent Center provides help through information, classes, support hotlines, and events to families each and every day to families throughout Colorado. Navigating medical, educational, and daily living support systems can be a daunting task for many families. PEAK Parent Center is a nonprofit that works every day to ensure that all children with disabilitiesRead more

At PEAK we are honored to work with families and youth that call us, come through our doors, or meet at workshops and conferences. PEAK is touched by the success that families who work with us create for themselves after gaining the tools needed to successfully navigate systems and situations. We are driven by the work we do because of the results that families report to us. Read about one family’s experience: “Before Parker was born, I dreamed of theRead more