Parent Resources
Kent ISD is proud to provide special education services and materials to not only our schools and educators, but also directly to the family members and caregivers. Below are links to documents, events and other websites and resources that you may find helpful.
Navigating the IEP Process
The Kent ISD Special Education department, in collaboration with the Parent Advisors for Special Education (PASE), has developed the Parent's Guide to Navigating the IEP Process to make the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process more manageable and user friendly for parents. This guide should be used in conjunction with the Special Education Parent Handbook with Procedural Safeguards and other resources from Kent ISD and the Michigan Department of Education.
A Spanish version of the parent guide is available for download here.
Navigating Section 504
The Kent ISD Special Education Department, in collaboration with a countywide Section 504 Committee, has developed A Parent's Guide to Navigating Section 504 to make the Section 504 process more manageable and user-friendly for parents. This document provides an overview of the Section 504 evaluation and eligibility process.
A Spanish version of A Parent's Guide to Navigating Section 504 is available as well.
Parent & Student Handbooks/Family Resource Guide
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Early Childhood Special Education Video
District Special Education Links
Are you searching for your district's Special Education Department? Here are links to all of the Kent ISD District pages and charter academies information:
National Heritage Academies - Special Education Policy Manual
Parent Advisors for Special Education (PASE)
Our Mission:
PASE is a parent driven forum to positively impact the educational opportunities for children with special needs through collaboration and dissemination of information.
PASE Will:
- serve as a resource for information to expand your knowledge
- communicate up-to-date changes and trends to the educational system
- improve parents' knowledge of the educational system
- provide points of contact for service organizations and support groups
- offer opportunities and workshops to learn how to assist in the educational process
- provide an arena for feedback from parents
You're invited to Participate:
PASE meets four to five times a year at 6:30 pm on a Monday at the Kent ISD Educational Services Center (see schedule for updates on in-person or virtual meetings). You'll find us at 2930 Knapp NE near the corner of Knapp and Beltline, just north of I-96 (click here for a map).
Contact us at the Educational Services Center, Special Education Services, phone: 616.365.2297or email: lorimatthews@kentisd.org.
2024-25 Meeting Schedule
- Monday, October 7, 6:30 p.m. - Kent ISD Educational Service Center, 2930 Knapp NE
- Monday, November 25, 6:30 p.m. - Virtual
- Monday, February 3, 6:30 p.m. - Virtual
- Monday, April 21, 6:30 p.m. - Virtual
PASE Meeting Agendas & Minutes
Here Comes the Bus
Here Comes the Bus: A School Bus Tracking App for Families
GPS school bus tracking technology is available to all parents and guardians of Kent ISD special education students who ride Dean Transportation buses. This free service provides families with the ability to track the location of their students’ buses in real-time, either on a computer or a mobile device. Participation is optional.
Tracking Features:
- Shows the real-time location of your child’s bus on a map
- Gives scheduled and actual arrival times at home and school for bus routes
- Provides push and email notifications when the bus is near
App Intro Video
Sign Up Instructions for Parents:
- Download the "Here Comes the Bus" app or visit herecomesthebus.com
- Click the "Sign Up" button.
- Enter school code 29983 and click "Next" followed by "Confirm."
- Complete the "User Profile" box.
- Under "My Students" click "Add." Enter your child's last name (up to 14 characters including a hyphen or a space) and student ID number.
- Once you confirm your information, you're ready to begin.
FAQ
Here Comes The Bus is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus. The app also features multilingual technology, supporting English, French, and Spanish. Click on the image to view the FAQ document.
MiPSE Parent Portal
We are excited to announce that we now offer online access to MiPSE (Michigan PowerSchool Special Education) to view your child’s finalized educational documents. Click here to view the brochure for more information.
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