9 Tips to Improve Your Communication Skills

Communication is an essential part of work and home life. Understanding how to be a good communicator can be an important productivity tool, one that’s frequently neglected. Poor communication can often have disastrous results; lost time, injured feelings, frustration, ineffective meetings, unproductive teamwork, resulting in a general lack of career advancement and goal achievement. To become effective communicators we need to be aware of a few fundamental tips we can use in our work and life interactions. Regardless of the situation, the same rules apply.

A Parent's Guide to Special Education in NYS for Children 3-21

This guide contains comprehensive information on the special education process in New York State, beginning with the initial referral for special education services. Special education means specially designed individualized or group instruction or special services or programs to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. Special education services and programs are provided at no cost to the parent. 

Become a Family Peer Advocate (FPA)

Family Peer Advocates are valuable professionals within the child serving system. They are uniquely qualified to work with families based on their first-hand experience as the parent/caregiver of a young person with a social, emotional, behavioral, health, or developmental disability. This experience, combined with additional Parent Empowerment (PEP) training, allows them to provide peer support to parents of children with similar challenges.

Bullying & Students with Disabilities

This publication provides information for parents and families and schools about the laws, regulations and policies of bullying and harassment in schools. 

Collaborative and Proactive Solutions

Whether you're a parent or teacher...whether a child is behaviorally challenging or not...collaboration is the key to improved relationships, better communication, and solving problems. This website contains a ton of free resources to help you move in that direction. The goals of this website is to help to ensure that kids everywhere are treated in ways that are compassionate, informed, and effective.

Community Schools Technical Assistance Centers (TACs)

The responsibilities of the Community Schools Technical Assistance Centers (TACs) include statewide distribution of information on effective and promising practices in the establishment and ongoing management of Community School strategies through professional development and technical assistance activities designed to: 

• Familiarize school personnel across New York State with Community School strategies;
• Increase the knowledge and skills of school personnel and community partners to aid in the implementation, management, and sustainability of Community Schools;
• Promote the establishment and development of Community Schools that incorporate the characteristics of Community Schools strategies listed above: a rigorous academic program with strong supports, a full range of school-based and school-linked programs and services, and partnerships that demonstrate collaboration with the local community;
• Provide school districts with the tools necessary to design and implement needs/resource assessments that will provide the data necessary to effectively target Community School resources; Increase statewide capacity to support effective Community School strategies; and
• Identify and evaluate the school districts’ needs within a region in order to provide tailored technical assistance and professional development.

Early Childhood Family and Community Engagement Centers (EC FACE Centers)

There are 14 Early Childhood Family and Community Engagement Centers (EC FACE Centers) in New York State. EC FACE Centers are part of the regional teams that use an intensive team approach. The Regional Teams, which include Regional Partnership Centers (RPC), Early Childhood Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Centers and School-age FACE Centers, provide technical assistance and professional development. Families, approved preschool and school-age programs, public schools and districts, and community partners are encouraged to contact the RPC and Early Childhood and School-age FACE Centers in their region of the State for assistance and training.

Please use the MS Navigator Mapping Tool to locate the Early Childhood FACE Center contact information for your location.

Early Childhood Transition Process

This guide provides information to help families of children with special needs prepare for smooth and effective transitions. It includes general information on the rights and responsibilities of families as well as eligibility under IDEA and Settings for Preschool, School Registration Requirements, Program Options for 4-year-olds and Areas of Development.

Every Student Present Website

This website provides a multitude of information to help children succeed in schools. It addresses topics like:

• Children refuse to go to school
• Signs of stress and worry
• Dealing with shyness
• Reducing stress
• Vision and learning difficulties
• Building Resilience
• Ways to prevent bullying

and MUCH more!

Every Student Present is a public awareness intended to help families, school leaders and communities understand the importance of consistent school attendance and the impact of absences of children's learning, especially young students. The goals of the campaign are to promote awareness of chronic absence and to build capacity among schools, families and communities to reduce it.

There is also an entire section of the website with information and resources for educators and community coalitions.

Frequently Asked Questions about Special Education

This webpage answers many frequently asked questions regarding special education issues - accommodations and modifications, advocacy, damages, discipline, due process hearings, progress, reading, parent-school relations, high-stakes testing, retention, No Child Left Behind, and other topics. You will find answers to many of your questions here.