The most essential requirement for an autistic student who wishes to attend college is early preparation. The abilities and interests of the student must be assessed and then appropriate goals may be determined. These goals need to be measurable goals, interim steps, clear desired outcome, and proper support. The transition to a college environment may be difficult for the student with autism, but with preparation and transition planning, the process will be obtainable. The difference between college and high school is one of teaching types. In high school, the student study under a structured plan while in college he will experience a broad spectrum plan.

Read more »

Excerpts in the following article are from Three Things Juniors Should Be Doing NOW July 22,2011 by Lynn O’Shaughnessy. Ms. O’Shaughnessy is a financial journalist and the author of The College Solution – a must read for all parents planning college for their children.

In this article, Ms. O’Shaughnessy is addressing both the parents and the high school junior. Too often both of these parties feel no need to hurry in preparations for college while the student is still a junior. Thought college planning could wait until the senior year? Ms. O’Shaughnessy proposes an outstanding “No” to that questions. She infers, and rightly so, that preparation for college should begin as early as possible. Although the subject of degree may not be chosen, preparing for the more intimidating aspects of testing and funds should begin early. She gives 5 principal areas for the junior to accomplish.

Read more »

Section 504 is a part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which is a federal statute, not a state statute. Basically, Section 504 is an anti-discrimination, civil rights statute which insures the needs of students with disabilities are met as adequately as the needs of all students in educational system.

Section 504 (29 U. S. C. 794(a), 34 C. F. R. 104.4(a) “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 706(8) of this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance….

Read more »

Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited his old school, Harrow School, on October 29, 1941. He wanted to hear the old songs that he enjoyed while attending the school. The School, however, wanted to hear Churchill speak. He reluctantly approached the podium and said "Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up." Then he quietly sat down.

He gave what has to be the best advice ever for the young person who is applying for a scholarship. Try, try, and try some more. Never give up. Applying for scholarships is difficult, time consuming, and very tedious. All scholarship applicants will face stiff competition. But, it's true, the profits are worthwhile. By writing and rewriting applications, one will begin to recognize the certain methods to be used on the application process, and the practice greatly increases the chances of scoring a scholarship. No one is saying that scholarships are impossible. They aren't. They do require practice and commitment to acquire one. With this in mind, review a few practical words of wisdom.

Read more »

Finding the right tutor for your child can be a trying process. What does one observe in the person who is the right tutor? What characteristics does the right tutor possess? What are the qualifications needed for being the right tutor? Creative Tutors is an excellent example of how employing the right tutor creates success for your child. What are the qualifications needed for a tutor? Ironically, no state requires a degree for one who wants to be a tutor. That leaves the choice to the interviewer. One thing is for certain, you aren’t just going to choose someone as your tutor that does not have some type of education. You must fit the education to the need. If reading is the subject, the tutor must have knowledge of reading skills. As a concerned parent, you know that someone trained in the field that your child needs is going to give the best results. The Creative Tutor’s teacher will have degrees in the field of expertise needed for the student.

Read more »

In order for a person to be a productive leader, they must possess certain qualities that define them as an effective person for leadership.  The first trait of an effective leader is character. Character is developed as a person matures from a child to an adult. It is the sum total of that person’s interaction with other people. Character defines a person’s values. As a leader, one must be able to define one’s values to determine if they have the qualities needed to motivate others and to inspire others to perform to the best of their abilities. Thus, an effective leader knows his values, is comfortable with his values, and will use those values to base decisions and lead. If a leader is not positive about his values, he will be led to self-serving decisions and will fail miserably as a leader. If fact, he will not become a leader but a manipulator. The second trait of an effective leader is consistency. The dictionary defines leadership consistency as a steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, or form. If an educational leader is consistent, they will create an environment that produces security in their followers.  Everyone knows what to expect, how they are expected to perform, and the results of performing to those expectations. Teachers who are clear about their expectations in a classroom have few discipline problems enabling them to spend all their time teaching and very little time solving behavioral problems. Their classrooms are safe and secure. Administrators who, like the teachers, are clear about their expectations will produce high-energy, safe, and productive schools.

Read more »

In the spring of 2012, STAAR – the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness – will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) program.

The Texas Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Texas educators worked together to develop a new assessment system as set forth by the 80th and 81st Texas legislatures. The focus was on increasing postsecondary readiness of graduating high school students and helping to ensure that Texas students are competitive with other students both nationally and internationally.

There will be two cut scores, and they will identify three performance categories:
•    Level III: Advanced Academic Performance
•    Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance
•    Level I: Unsatisfactory Academic Performance

Read more »