As a parent and advocate, you are the only constant team member. Other IEP team members- teachers, therapists, and administrators-revolve and eventually fade. You need to make your unique viewpoint as meaningful as possible. However, the laws governing special education are complex; full of confusing terms, rigid timelines, and complicated decisions. This guide translates the legalese and organizes the material, making it user friendly. As you learn more about these laws, you will gain a sense of equality and confidence that will make you a more effective and proactive advocate for your child.Wherever you are on the special education journey, this guide will help you learn: -The school district's responsibilities, -Your child's rights, -Your rights as the parent of a special education student, -Techniques to help you come to each IEP meeting informed and prepared, and-How to be a proactive (rather than reactive) advocate.Using charts, graphs, examples, and other resources, this guide lays out the referral, eligibility, IEP, student discipline, ITP, and dispute resolution processes with an emphasis on maximizing the parents' role as an advocate for the best outcomes for their child. Citations to relevant law are included throughout the manual.

Disability law can be complex and intimidating, so how can concerned parents use it to ensure their child with a disability receives the appropriate education they are legally entitled to? A Guide to Special Education Advocacy gives strategies for advocating for better provision of special education in schools. Despite the many services and accommodations that have been made for students with disabilities, such as the use of Braille or providing specialized education in a regular or special classroom, many children with disabilities do not get the services they need and are not placed in appropriate programs or settings. Because of this, the perception of disability often remains unchanged. Matthew Cohen's insightful manual gives a practical vision of how a parent or a professional can become an advocate to achieve a more inclusive and rewarding education for the child with a disability. This book will provide parents, people with disabilities, professionals and clinicians thinking about special education advocacy with an overview of current disability law and how it works, identifying practical ways for building positive and effective relationships with schools.

Aimed at parents of and advocates for special needs children, explains how to develop a relationship with a school, monitor a child's progress, understand relevant legislation, and document correspondence and conversations.

"The goal of the authors is to share what they have learned as veteran special education administrators to assist those in the job or looking to move into the job. The comprehensiveness and complexities of the position can be and are at times overwhelming. Throughout their careers the authors made mistakes, and this book with its short chapters and conversational tone provides insight into decision-making and relationship-building. Included are tips like face-to-face interactions and classroom visitations are essential in assisting staff, students, and building principals; and topics such as the importance of parents in the process, the significance of confidentiality, due process, program development, and working with advocates. This book is a critical tool in the special education administrator's box, and provides practical and friendly advice for a difficult job"--

Superintendents, central office administrators, principals, school board members and students in the field of education will find this book to be useful in guiding their own professional development and practice. The authors cover a variety of useful topics in special education, ranging from finances, how to systematically monitor the assignment of paraprofessionals, and transportation, to legal considerations and methods of promoting parent engagement. Co-editors Bittel and Young invited seasoned educators and professionals to share their expertise in a wide range of important subjects that collectively promote an understanding of how to transform special education programs and service delivery in public school settings. Chapter topics were intentionally selected to address the common special education program challenges facing school superintendents; and the focus throughout this book was on providing practical suggestions to improve actual practice. As such, current and aspiring educational leaders and policy-makers who are interested in learning more about how to successfully tackle some of the more complex challenges in special education while find this book to be an invaluable resource.

Bringing Cookies to IEP Meetings Will Only Get You So Far! You've gone to IEP workshop after IEP workshop, searched for answers at conferences, done late night research on the internet, and yet you still have those guilty feelings that you're not doing a good enough job advocating for your child. It takes more than gathering records, giving factual information or reciting research and the law to be a successful advocate for your child. With clarity, honesty, and insights Charmaine Thaner shares how to be a more effective advocate for your own child. After reading The Art of Advocacy: A Parent's Guide to a Collaborative IEP Process, parents will know: * that certain finesse that is necessary when dealing with disagreements * how asking the right question will get you the right answer * the secrets to creative problem solving when the team has hit a roadblock Readers will also receive priceless bonuses: * a template for writing effective emails * lists of clarifying and probing questions to ask * step-by-step ways to creatively solve problems, and much more Charmaine gives examples of actual conversations and real scenarios to help you learn what to do and what not to do at special education meetings. Chapters include: 1) Conflict and Collaborative Advocacy; 2) How to Listen And Ask Questions With Genuine Curiosity; 3) How to Listen With Your Eyes; 4) Know What to Say When; 5) Building Authentic Relationships; 6) How to Use Collaborative Problem Solving; 7) The End is Really The Beginning. Each chapter is written so busy parents can get to the point quickly. When parents combine the art of advocacy with a collaborative way of solving problems there will be: * a positive difference in the tone of meetings * parent voices that are heard and understood, and * happier, safer, and more successful students in schools Read this book, practice what you'll learn, and gain the confidence to become an even more effective advocate for your child! Parents that have worked with Charmaine know her insights and strategies are invaluable when advocating for children with any type of disability.

The Essentials of Special Education Law distills the legal complexities of special education into a practical resource for preparation programs as well as professionals in the field. Written and organized with college students and practicing educators in mind, this book serves as a go-to guide to the historical underpinnings of special education, the six pillars of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), essential court cases that have propelled the field of special education to where it is today, and practical application tips to ensure legal compliance. With 45 years of combined special education legal experience, authors Andrew Markelz and David Bateman present the essential components of special education law like never before.

UNESCO pub. International directory, government agencys, nongovernmental organizations, voluntary organizations, etc. Responsible for special education - includes major international organizations concerned with special education and rehabilitation. Questionnaire.

This book provides a step-by-step guide to help parents and professionals working with children on the ASD spectrum obtain or write an individualized education plan (IEP). The individual chapters set out the 'blueprint' detailing the crucial building blocks for IEP development and information is presented in an accessible, reader-friendly format.

To ensure that all students receive quality instruction, Teaching Students with High-Incidence Disabilities prepares preservice teachers to teach students with learning disabilities, emotional behavioral disorders, intellectual disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity, and high functioning autism. It also serves as a reference for those who have already received formal preparation in how to teach special needs students. Focusing on research-based instructional strategies, Mary Anne Prater gives explicit instructions and includes models throughout in the form of scripted lesson plans. The book also has a broad emphasis on diversity, with a section in each chapter devoted to exploring how instructional strategies can be modified to accommodate diverse exceptional students. Real-world classrooms are brought into focus using teacher tips, embedded case studies, and technology spotlights to enhance student learning.