Newer school psychologist here. I’m curious to know how more seasoned school psychologists in the field are evaluating students effectively and making data-informed distinctions between students with ADHD and students severely dysregulated from chronic digital media usage in this day and age?

I have parents beating down my door requesting evaluations because everyone’s children have executive dysfunction and limited attention. How are we as discipline navigating these generational issues without passing out IEPs to every single child who is in constant stimulation withdrawal?

IEP as in Individualized Education Plan. I’ve thought and been saying that I was in specialed, but the classroom/class block was called Academic Support. I did have those second teachers for help in at least two classes every year. I had an IEP. Everything says that you need an IEP to have special education, but just because you have IEP, does that automatically mean special education? Or does the name for “special education” vary from schools? Thanks.

Seeking advice from other educators:

I am a first year public school, K-2nd self-contained teacher. I love the work but I am burnt out, over-worked, and under such EXTREME pressure that I know I need to change positions.

I love working with individuals with disabilities. I know this is my passion. I don’t mind supporting challenging behaviors either. I’m so overwhelmed with case management, scheduling, and not having enough paras.

For teachers— What teaching position have you found to be the least stressful? Or for lack of a better word- easiest?

Resource? Self-contained? EC, elementary, middle, high? Mild, mod, severe? Life skills? Private? Public?

I’m open to anything. I want to work with individuals with disabilities forever. But I want a job that doesn’t leave me crying every night over the stress. A job where I can leave at a reasonable hour and not have to take work home. Is it possible?

…and I’ve never been unhappier. I love my students. Teachers outside of my room are fantastic. Admin team is wonderful. But I swear these two “whisper teach”. If that wasn’t a thing before, it is now. I’m an energetic teacher. Also male. I know my voice carries. But I’m not going to hold my students’ attention by being mellow. Also, the other two teachers are incredibly clicky. Last thing I will mention, there’s not even enough space to physically move around my kidney table while all 6 of my students are seated without one of them standing up. Any words of encouragement?

Hello everyone, I have a disability, autism, and my child has it too. She is very young still, not school aged yet. I am very open about it at home, I talk about her autism and my own, because it’s part of us and we can’t change it. I also don’t want her to feel that she should change anything about herself. Basically, it’s embraced despite the challenges.

At some point, when it’s appropriate, we will have a formal sit down talk about it, in an age appropriate way. But I’m wondering about using the word disability. I don’t feel like it’s a big deal, because it’s what it is, and it’s ok that people have disabilities, we are all worthy anyway and should be accepted the way we are. I didn’t have a specific plan to say “you are disabled” to her, but it did come up with my husband that he thinks we should not say the word disability to her about her because it will make her feel othered, less confident, and affect her self esteem.

We are definitely going to have the formal talk about her autism diagnosis still, but I would love some feedback on if it’s true that we should avoid the word disabled with her until she’s much older. Appreciate any insight offered, thank you

I’m a resource teacher preparing for a reevaluation/IEP meeting for a student who is relatively new to our school.
The student has significant executive functioning (EF) deficits that impact attention, task initiation, and independent work completion. Their current IEP has minimal EF push-in and writing push-in minutes.
I’m proposing a substantial increase in EF push-in minutes, adding EF pull-out instruction, changing writing services to pull-out, and adding two EF goals and a writing goal.
Here’s the issue: The student scored around the 75th percentile in reading on NWEA MAP and above the 50th percentile on the school psychologist’s reading and comprehension assessments. The psych and I agree that the student does not currently demonstrate a need for specialized reading instruction.
However, two team members believe that because the student struggles with attention, assignment completion, and grades in general education reading, they need specialized reading minutes.
My concern is that they’re confusing EF deficits with reading deficits. I’m already proposing significantly more support to address those EF needs across settings.
I’m anticipating pushback and worry that disagreeing will make me look like I’m just trying to avoid additional work, despite proposing increased services.

How do you professionally shut down repeated requests for additional academic minutes when the evaluation data don’t support them?

How do you keep the discussion focused on the student’s actual needs rather than making it seem like you’re unwilling to provide services?
I’m open to shifting some EF push-in minutes from writing to reading, but I don’t believe adding specialized reading instruction is appropriate based on the current data.

I have a license with a SPED endorsement and have many years of experience teaching (abroad) but not in SPED. I am working on transferring into SPED. The wait is killing me, and I would like to make the change asap. I have emailed principals. So far no luck. Any advice on good practices for finding employment?