Kathryn Dorney, PhD CCC SLP

10/28/2025

Students are not required to receive intervention prior to initiating a special education referral meeting. When a disability is suspected, by teachers, parents or others, a review of existing data and consideration of a referral for a special education evaluation must be conducted by the IEP team. The IEP team will determine whether or not there is evidence to support suspicion of a disability based on available information and if an evaluation will be conducted. If the determination is made that an evaluation will be conducted for the purposes of determining eligibility for special education and related services, interventions and progress monitoring will run concurrently with the evaluation process.

At no time should an evaluation be delayed or denied pending intervention if a disability is suspected. In an instructional model of evaluation for specific learning disability, there is no requirement that prescribed steps be completed prior to an evaluation, including that a student “go through” tiers of intervention.

10/26/2025

I am delighted to share my recent publication investigating the
Speech-language services in IEPs of students with extensive support and complex communication needs.

Abstract
Students with extensive support needs (ESN) are a group of students with multiple disabilities including significant expressive and receptive language impairments that make it difficult for them to access and participate in the general education curriculum, even with quality instruction and appropriate accommodations. Like all students with disabilities, students with ESN typically require related services to benefit from the special education services they receive. The purpose of this descriptive and parametric statistics study was to examine speech-language services in the IEPs of students with ESN (n = 258) across six U.S. states. Specifically, the type and intensity of speech-language services were examined across grade band, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) disability category, and symbolic communication level (i.e., pre-symbolic, symbolic). The relationship between speech-language services and various demographic variables was analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. While no significant relationship was identified between demographic variables and the type of speech-language services students received, some demographic variables (i.e., communication level, grade band) predicted the intensity of speech-language services. Findings are discussed relative to the literature with implications for practice in schools and future research.

From my understanding there is the option to read online and I can offer copies of the pre-print copy. This is the copy we submitted to the journal with a different format before final edits.

Students with extensive support needs (ESN) are a group of students with multiple disabilities including significant expressive and receptive language impairmen...

10/22/2025

Making time visible helps things run more smoothly, especially during busy days or big transitions.

Analog (not digital!) watches, timers, and wall clocks can all offer just enough structure to keep things moving without constant reminders.

👉 Here's a tip: Place a visual timer near homework or work stations to help track focus time without needing to watch the clock.

Sometimes it’s the simplest tools that make the biggest difference.

10/21/2025

10/21/2025

𝟴𝟬 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗶𝗱𝘀 (+ 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲))
https://tinyurl.com/4vbys5m3 (Imagination Soup)

Discover here the BEST graphic novels for early readers, chapter books, middle grades & YA. Great for many kids but can be excellent options for challenged or reluctant readers, especially. Check them out!

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀: https://tinyurl.com/43az9sn5

10/21/2025

Analysis of Florida school district after 2023 classroom cellphone restrictions shows reading and math test score gains. The policy also came with a troubling side effect.

10/21/2025

AAC Spotlight: Cohen’s Voice Through AAC

Lauren and Cohen's story highlights the importance of advocacy and presuming competence.

“My son is 9 and, because of his brain condition, he communicates using AAC instead of spoken words. I introduced AAC when he was almost 4 because I believed he could read and recognize shapes, numbers, and more even when others didn’t believe it.

His AAC has given him a voice. He can now confidently request things, choose places to go, pick songs to sing, spell, and show his knowledge to the world.

It hasn’t been an easy journey, since we didn’t have much support from a speech and language therapist, but we’re hopeful we’ve finally found the right person to help us help him to continue progressing in his language. Using his AAC, he can communicate using some known sentences but tends to use 2-3 words at a time. Right now, he can't explain his feelings or tell us if he's hurt.

My goal is for him to communicate freely and advocate alongside me for his future.”

— Lauren Freitas, parent of Cohen

10/21/2025

10/20/2025

10/20/2025

All people with a disability of any extent or severity have a basic right to affect, through communication, the conditions of their existence.