1) If your Florida student’s disabilities include sensory losses, you may benefit from Technical Assistance to facilitate his/her special education program, supports, and services:
**The Florida & Virgin Islands Deaf-Blind Collaborative can assist families of students affected by both hearing and vision losses (with or without other disabilities).**
http://deafblind.ufl.edu/welcome/make-a-referral-or-request-assistance
**The regional CARD centers (Center for Autism & Related Disabilities) serve individuals throughout the state who have been diagnosed with deaf-blindness (both hearing and vision losses) or a sensory impairment with other disabilities.
Find your CARD center: http://card.ufl.edu/about-card/find-your-card/
2) Following a hurricane, the Florida Department of Education posts guidance and updates on public schools/districts, public institutions of higher education, and Division of Blind Services and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation offices in affected areas.
Read the updates at: http://www.fldoe.org/em-response/storm-info.stml
3) The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act gives certain rights to families “displaced” by natural disaster.
*Read more from FloridaLawHelp.org.
*Guidance on the Homeless Education Program from the Florida Department of Education.
*Additional information from the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates: www.copaa.org/page/DisplacedHomeless
*The National Center for Homeless Education provides resources:
Parent Resources
Special Education Resources
School Help for Homeless Children with Disabilities: Information for Parents