The Steedman Law Group

08/07/2025

https://wjla.com/newsletter-daily/special-needs-school-maryland-state-law-howard-county

A Howard County special needs school is not complying with state law according to an investigation conducted by the Maryland Inspector General for Education.Som

11/14/2023

Proud to be part of this organization!

11/03/2023

Take action to end disability discrimination in health care! []

10/31/2023

10/12/2023

https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2023/09/26/major-flaws-identified-with-idea-complaint-system/30562/

At The Steedman Law Group, we're dedicated to empowering parents to advocate effectively for their children through the IEP process and in pursuing their due process rights. We're here to ensure that every child, regardless of ability, has access to a quality education.

One of the main tools IDEA offers families unsatisfied with special education services is the ability to file a complaint with their state, but new evidence suggests the process is riddled with problems.

04/20/2023

The Steedman Law Group celebrates the efforts of the special education advocacy community and the Maryland General Assembly in sponsoring and passing House Bill 1237. As of July 1, 2023, parents of students with disabilities may be entitled to reimbursement for the costs of expert witnesses, in addition to reimbursement of reasonable attorney fees, if they prevail in legal proceedings involving the special education needs of their children.

This law will help to address the inequitable impact of the 2006 decision in Arlington v. Murphy, when a majority in the Supreme Court interpreted the IDEA’s provisions for reimbursing parents’ reasonable attorney fees and related costs to exclude fees paid to experts who testify on the parents’ behalf. Now, parents in Maryland who find it necessary to challenge a school system’s decisions regarding the identification, evaluation, placement, and provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education to their children with special needs are a step closer to achieving the “level playing field” that Congress intended.

Analysis of HB1237:

04/11/2023

Check out this article from Disability Scoop:

Federal officials are offering up big money in a bid to help young people with disabilities move more successfully from school to work.

08/24/2022

🙏Georgia Ryan - Dyslexic Warrior

08/11/2022

Even before kids start reading, you may be able to spot signs of dyslexia . That’s because dyslexia can affect language skills that are the building blocks for reading. Here’s what you might see in preschool-age kids.

1. Speaking like a younger child

Delayed language development is often one of the first signs of dyslexia. Your child may mispronounce a lot of words, like saying “aminal” instead of “animal.” At school, your child may not talk as much or may not know as many words as other kids do.

2. Calling things by the wrong name

Dyslexia affects the way the brain processes language, including trouble coming up with the right word. Your child may hand you a spoon when you ask for a fork. At school, your child may struggle with learning and naming numbers, colors, and the letters of the alphabet.

3. Trouble rhyming

Your child may have trouble filling in the rhyming word in nursery rhymes (like “One Two, Buckle My ____”) and may have even more trouble making up new rhymes. At school, your child may not recognize rhyming words like dog, log, and hog.

4. Not following directions

Kids with dyslexia often have trouble following directions that have multiple steps. They may only “hear” the first or last few words. You may ask your child to put on shoes and a jacket, but your child only gets a jacket. At school, your child might need to be reminded a lot about classroom rules and routines.