Overcoming Special Education Apathy and Successfully Navigating the Special Education Maze!
Are you the parent of a child with Autism, or a learning disability who receives special education services? Does your life with your child seem overwhelming, and you sometimes find it difficult to be the advocate for school issues, as you need to be? Or have you given up advocating for your child’s education because you feel that you cannot win? This article will give you 6 ideas on how you can overcome apathy, successfully navigate the special education maze, so that your child can receive an appropriate education!1. Realize that special education is an entitlement for your child under Federal Special Education law (IDEA 2004), and that he or she is depending on you to fight for the services that they need!2. Now that school is back in session, try and attend a few parent trainings (on federal and state education and disability law), where you can learn about the law, and gain important advocacy information, as well as meet other parents in your area. Look for groups that provide parent training at your States parent training and information center (PTIC), or local disability organizations such as the ARC or United Cerebral Palsey (UCP).3. If a local advocacy group does not exist consider starting one with other parents. Attend a few groups so that you can decide what is important to include in your advocacy group. Encourage all members to support each other in their advocacy efforts by perhaps attending each others meetings, or role playing certain situations that may arise. Bringing in knowledgeable speakers will empower your advocacy!4. Join online organizations that not only educate parents, but have access to knowledgeable people such as lawyers or independent evaluators. Consider joining COPAA (Counsel of Parent Attorney’s and Advocates http://www.copaa.org ); for a small yearly fee you can join the listserv that has parents, advocates, and attorneys discussing education advocacy issues. You may ask questions and seek advice on any advocacy situation that you are dealing with. By receiving expert help you will be empowered in your advocacy!5. Pursue an independent educational evaluation (IEE) to determine what related and special education services that your child needs in order to receive an appropriate education. Try and find a child friendly qualified evaluator that is either a Clinical Psychologist or a Neuropsychologist. It may take several months for an appointment so now is a good time to plan for the evaluation. Do not forget to mention your child’s need for extended school year services (ESY) if this is an issue with your school district-a recommendation from an independent evaluator that a child needs ESY is helpful to convince educators that this is needed. Ask your evaluator to put specific recommendations for amount and type of ESY in his or her evaluation report.6. Try and find another experienced parent or an advocate who can attend meetings with you, educate you on education law, give you advocacy tips, and share information on how you can overcome roadblocks to an appropriate education for your child. Experienced advocates can guide you through the process, as you successfully navigate the special education maze! Make sure any advocate you choose knows IDEA 2004, and your States education law, as well as a willingness to stand up to school personnel and roadblocks that special educators put up!Use these tips and you will well be on your way to overcoming special education apathy, for your child’s educational benefit!
Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for a Loan
Whether it’s a business loan or a personal loan, there are several common loan application mistakes that many businesses and individuals often make when applying for a loan. Avoiding loan application mistakes is your most valuable tool in being approved on a loan. The following common loan application mistakes can interfere with loan approval.1. Being unaware of your credit rating.Before even attempting to get a loan, know where you stand. Request copies of your credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and Transunion, which are the three major credit reporting agencies. Your reports will show whether or not you’ve made your payments on time, or if you’ve defaulted on a loan, declared bankruptcy, or had any other financial problems. Additionally, it will show positive items, such as when you’ve paid your bills one time, or when you’ve paid a loan in full. Consistently paying your bills as scheduled shows that you’re worthy of a loan, and is very attractive to a lender. If your credit has undesirable listings, be aware of them, and be prepared to explain them to the lender.2. Not understanding the loan terms before signing.Avoid the most common loan application mistake, and make sure that you read and fully understand everything involved with the loan before signing. Not only should you take the time to read the fine print in its entirety, but you should also ask questions about anything and everything that you don’t fully understand. This is a common loan mistake because individuals are often so anxious to get the loan that they fail to pay attention to the details. Don’t assume that the terms on this loan are the same as for “any other loan.” Know what you are signing before you sign.3. Continuously searching for a lower interest rate.Interest rates change often. If you feel you’ve found a great rate, lock in before the rate increases to avoid this loan application mistake. People quite often make the loan application mistake of getting greedy, opting to see if rates will drop even farther before locking in on that rate. This loan application mistake of continuing to search for an even lower rate often works against you, rather than in your favor, especially if you have to wait longer to obtain the loan that you perhaps need immediately, or worse, if the interest rates actually increase rather than drop.4. Not explaining the details for needing the loan.Yet another common loan application mistake of not fully explaining how the loan will be used. For example, if the loan is to be used for business purposes, explain the details of how you will use the money. Lenders want to see that you know exactly how you will use the money, and how this loan will meet your needs.5. Make major loan application changes.Show the potential lender that you are stable and can make solid decisions. Don’t apply for a business loan, for instance, and submit a loan proposal, only to call the lender a while later and tell them that you’ve reconsidered and plan on using the money differently than stated in your paperwork. Make your decisions prior to this, and don’t make this loan application mistake of being unsure when you apply. Submit your proposal only in the event that you are 100 percent sure of your actions and will not change your mind.6. Apply only to the most convenient lender.While heading to the bank in which you do business with is an obvious reaction, avoid the loan application mistake of not shopping around with other lenders. Check into obtaining a loan with a credit union, and if you’re searching for a small business loan, consider investigating programs offered through the Small Business Administration. This loan application mistake is also easily corrected by making just a few phone calls to lenders’ check rates and offers.7. Not having current finances in order.Whether you’re in need of a personal loan or a business loan, don’t apply for a loan without proper financial documentation for the lender. This loan application mistake can either delay the loan process, or cause the lender to immediately turn you away.8. Failing to have equity.Especially for a business loan or a home loan, having some equity, such as a down payment, can significantly increase your changes of securing a loan. While this loan application mistake is sometimes unavoidable, be aware that lenders are not as enthusiastic to offer loans to those without equity, especially loans for large amounts or for individuals with less than desirable credit scores.9. Having no collateral.As with equity, no collateral gives no assurance to the lender that the loan will be repaid. Having collateral increase your chances of having the loan approved. Collateral can come in many forms such as automobiles, savings accounts, home equity, certificates of deposit, (CDs) and anything else that the lender considers to have value.10. Not having a business plan if the loan is for business.Not having a business plan in place, or employing a poor business plan, is an inexcusable loan application mistake, yet can be easily corrected. If you’re starting a business, or wish to obtain funding to expand on an existing business, you need to demonstrate to the lender how the business will operate and make money. A business plan is essential for a lender to see your goals and see how you plan to reach those goals.11. Not avoiding hidden loan costs.Avoid signing a loan that requires hidden costs. This loan application mistake might include fine print stating that annual fees, bank charges, closing costs, commissions, and balloon payments are required. Be informed, and don’t sign anything without being completely sure what it means.
7 Essential Student Loan Consolidation Rules and Regulations You Should Know About
When consolidating student loans, it’s important to know what you’re getting into first. As with any financial decision, you must do your homework before signing on the dotted line. Consolidating student loans is not a difficult process, but there are several rules and regulations in place that you must know before deciding to consolidate your student loans into one easy to manage loan. This is a list of some of the most important rules and regulations pertaining to student loan consolidation. Make sure you understand each of these rules before going through with the consolidation loan.Student Loan Consolidation is FreeObtaining a student loan consolidation loan is a free process, so never pay a fee for consolidating. If the lender is charging an upfront fee to consolidate your student loans, it’s most likely a scam and you should take your business elsewhere. This scam is often referred to as an “advance fee loan scam”, and it’s relatively common in the student loan consolidation world.You Cannot Consolidate While Still in SchoolYou may consolidate your student loans only after your loans enter their grace period, which is six months after graduating or dropping out of school. You can also consolidate once repayment of the loans begin, although you should consider consolidating before that point. It may not be beneficial to everyone, but it’s definitely worth taking a look at the numbers to see if it would save you money and make your loans easier to manage.You Can Only Consolidate Student Loans in Your NameThis rule seems pretty obvious, but in some cases where the student is married or has their parents’ name on any of the student loans, it may come into play. Students and parents may consolidate their student loans, but they cannot combine them into one consolidation loan – They must be separate. Same thing holds true for married students who both have student loan debt. As of 2006, married students cannot combine their student loan debt into one consolidation loan – They can, however, each have their own consolidation loan.Student and Graduates May Consolidate With Any LenderThere are no restrictions that limit which lenders are eligible for consolidating student loans, so you may choose whatever lender you wish. This allows you to shop around for the lender with the best interest rates and incentives. Keep in mind that most lenders require you to have a minimum balance totaling $7,500 or sometimes higher.Any Federal Student Loan is Eligible for ConsolidationAny type of federal student loan can be consolidated, including single student loans. That being said, you can only consolidate an existing consolidation loan one time, but not in every circumstance. In order to reconsolidate a consolidation loan, you must add a previously not included student loan to the consolidation. In this case, your interest rate would be reconfigured using a formula to weigh the old interest rate with new rate brought on by the student loan being added to the mix. Please note that a student loan consolidation loan uses a weighted average of all of the included student loans to determine the overall interest rate – Reconsolidating in future will not completely reset your interest rate.Consolidation Loans Offer Longer Repayment TermsFederal student loans feature standard 10-year repayment plans. When consolidating student loans, you can extend these terms to 12-30 years depending upon how much is owed. As with any loan, though, it’s not recommended to extend the terms of the loan, because interest charges will be greater the longer the loan exists. It’s recommended to pay off the loan as soon as possible. That being said, extending the consolidation loan repayment plan can help people to better afford the lower payments brought on by a longer repayment plan.There’s No Prepayment PenaltiesYou may pay off your student loan consolidation at anytime without any risk of prepayment penalties. I highly recommend paying off the consolidation loan as soon as possible to avoid some of the interest charges and to relieve yourself of the financial burden as quickly as possible. Just make sure that when making additional payments each month, you inform the lender that the additional amount should go towards the principle of the loan rather than future payments.