He loved reading and writing, especially stories about real people.

But Noah had a hearing impairment, so fast group discussions and noisy classrooms sometimes made it hard for him to follow along.

This year, his ELA class was starting a big journalism unit, and Noah wanted to be part of the school newspaper team more than anything.

The principal explained that Noah had the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE)

"That means you will have access to the same learning opportunities as everyone else, with support so you can succeed,” she said.

Noah felt relieved knowing he would not be left out of the journalism unit.

The audiologist, teachers, and special education staff shared updated information about how Noah processed spoken instructions and how he performed in reading and writing tasks.

They also observed how he worked during group discussions.

This full evaluation helped the team understand exactly what he needed in ELA class.

“He does great when instructions are written down,” said his mom . “He just needs time to process conversations.”

His father added, “He wants to participate; he just needs access.”

The school team listened carefully and made sure the family was part of every decision.

It included:

“This plan gives Noah equal access to the curriculum,” said the teacher.

Noah was excited. 

He wanted to write about a local firefighter who had saved families during a recent storm.

But during planning meetings, multiple students talked at once. Noah missed key instructions and became frustrated.

“I don’t want to mess this up,” he thought.