KBY Consults

04/07/2026

04/04/2026

Join us for our next Statewide Continuing Education Workshop, Celebrating Autism Acceptance Month, on Friday, April 17, at 12 p.m. ET!

🔗 Register here: https://dsa-virginia.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/TU-DlchoR_uoXDgKmskIjg #/registration

Learn more about the American Association of People with Disabilities and The Autistic Self Advocacy Network and how you can get involved!

View the event flyer PDF: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:500e4635-0b28-411f-82d0-aa9bb8c084ce

03/28/2026

TIP TUESDAY: If you speak with a teacher or administrator over the phone, always follow up with an email and summarize the call. This will help avoid miscommunication and document information discussed.

03/25/2026

As we begin a new year, it’s a good time to pause and return to fundamentals—the things that matter most. For those of us connected to long-term care, that foundation starts with two essential truths: residents have rights, and they have the right to an independent advocate.

03/22/2026

Hmm 🤔 Thoughts?

03/16/2026

Autism is a developmental disability that looks different for every person. Support needs, skills, and goals are so individualized. Some people may call themselves Autistic, and others may call themselves a person with autism. People with autism deserve respect, inclusion, and opportunities just like anyone else. Every person deserves a society that takes time to learn about their personal autism experience.

What is one thing you wish more people understood about autism? Visit The Arc of Virginia website to learn more about supports and advocacy across our state. www.thearcofva.org

03/12/2026

Our Statewide Continuing Education Workshops continue Friday, March 20 at 12 p.m. ET! Register here: https://dsa-virginia.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/njrg7WsdTg-cnqI-_N2hoQ #/registration

Our presenters will share information about the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities and Disability EmpowHer Network’s programs for disabled women and girls: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:4783e0ff-79f7-47f3-9dbd-58b5ee9dec09

03/12/2026

✨ Introducing the KBY Consults Access Fund

At KBY Consults, we work with students who benefit from individualized educational support. Many of the students we serve have diverse learning needs and thrive with one-on-one instruction and specialized learning strategies.

However, we know that many families who need this support the most are sometimes unable to access it due to financial barriers.

The KBY Consults Access Fund was created to help change that.

This fund allows community members, supporters, and donors to help sponsor educational services for students who would otherwise not be able to receive them.

Contributions to the Access Fund help provide:
• Individualized tutoring
• Specialized academic support
• Learning resources and structured activities
• Educational advocacy and guidance for families

Every contribution helps make meaningful learning opportunities available to more students.

If you believe in expanding access to education and supporting students with diverse learning needs, we invite you to support the KBY Consults Access Fund.

Ways to help:
✔ Donate to the Access Fund
✔ Share this post with others
✔ Connect with us to learn more about the work we do

Together we can create more opportunities for students to learn, grow, and succeed.

💙 Thank you for supporting access to education.

03/12/2026

✨ Introducing the KBY Consults Access Fund

At KBY Consults, we work with students who benefit from individualized educational support. Many of the students we serve have diverse learning needs and thrive with one-on-one instruction and specialized learning strategies.

However, we know that many families who need this support the most are sometimes unable to access it due to financial barriers.

The KBY Consults Access Fund was created to help change that.

This fund allows community members, supporters, and donors to help sponsor educational services for students who would otherwise not be able to receive them.

Contributions to the Access Fund help provide:
• Individualized tutoring
• Specialized academic support
• Learning resources and structured activities
• Educational advocacy and guidance for families

Every contribution helps make meaningful learning opportunities available to more students.

If you believe in expanding access to education and supporting students with diverse learning needs, we invite you to support the KBY Consults Access Fund.

Ways to help:
✔ Donate to the Access Fund
✔ Share this post with others
✔ Connect with us to learn more about the work we do

Together we can create more opportunities for students to learn, grow, and succeed.

💙 Thank you for supporting access to education.

03/07/2026

Deciding between the Standards of Learning (SOL) and the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) is a significant IEP team decision because it directly affects diploma options and future opportunities. Most students with disabilities participate in the SOL curriculum and take SOL tests, with or without accommodations. Remaining on the SOL track keeps pathways open to a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma, which are typically required for admission to most 2- and 4-year colleges. The VAAP, on the other hand, is designed only for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and is aligned with reduced academic standards called the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL). Students who participate in VAAP are working toward an Applied Studies Diploma, and participation may affect future employment and post-secondary education options.

If the IEP team is considering the VAAP, they must complete the VAAP Participation Decision-Making Tool together to determine eligibility. This structured document ensures the decision is based on clear criteria, not on factors such as low test scores or a disability label alone. The majority of students should remain on the SOL path with appropriate supports and accommodations. If this conversation is happening at your child’s IEP meeting, ask to review both resource documents, request a copy of the participation tool, and make sure you fully understand how the decision connects to diploma options and your child’s long-term goals.

Learn more with our resource documents!
👉 SOL - https://ow.ly/F74K50Yqq16
👉 VAAP - https://ow.ly/b1el50Yqq14

03/06/2026

This is what individualized instruction looks like in action.

During this Osmo coding activity, my student is working on:

• Sustained engagement in a structured task for more than five minutes
• Participating in both preferred and mildly non-preferred activities
• Reading sight words and number recognition
• Constructing simple sentences using symbol-based coding commands
• Problem-solving and sequencing
• Managing multiple steps to achieve a defined goal

Even though the “words” are symbols, she is reading them, organizing them into meaningful sequences, and forming functional sentences that directly control the avatar on the screen.

This is literacy.
This is executive functioning.
This is persistence.
This is confidence building.

The KBY Consults Access Fund helps make opportunities like this possible for students who benefit from individualized, specialized instruction.