Special Education Law and Advocacy
A client recently told me they received a notice for an “evaluation meeting”. Huh? I asked, do you mean an IEP meeting? The client wasn’t sure because the notice said just that – evaluation meeting. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN EVALUATION MEETING! Since I figured school districts are trying to confuse parents by […]
A new tactic being used by schools against parents of children with disabilities is to require / funnel all communications with the school through one person, usually the case manager. We’ve seen numerous questions by parents if this is illegal or whether parents can request two-way communication be listed as an accommodation in the IEP. […]
You probably know what bullying is. You may not know what a Gebser Letter is or what it does. Sit down, grab your cup of coffee and read on. The Effects of Bullying First things first. It is now widely accepted as fact that children with disabilities are more likely to be bullied than their […]
You pay federal taxes. You have schools in your town. Those schools have special education programs. If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably a parent of a child with special needs. Well, guess what? If you have a dispute with your school about your child’s IEP or otherwise not meeting your child’s special education needs, […]
Having an audio recording of what happens in an IEP meeting is powerful evidence, especially when school districts deny what was said or fail to put a service in writing into the IEP. For example, an audio recording can prove or disprove what was actually discussed during the meeting, whether the parents were given proper […]
A group of smart minds in the New Jersey world of special education gathered and put together an excellent guide to assist schools, parents, and providers in helping children with dyslexia. They recently issued “The New Jersey Dyslexia Handbook: A Guide to Early Literacy Development & Reading Struggles” (PDF) which is free to download from […]
In the Comments describe your worst experience advocating for a child with a disability with your school district. Did they fail to adequately find or evaluate a disability? Did they design a poor IEP? Did they fail to take your suggestions for the IEP? Are you unhappy with the placement or classroom for your child? […]
If you are a parent of a child with a disability, READ UP! This is YOUR Bill of Rights for your child’s IEP: Your child is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) as provided by an IEP. An IEP must be in place at the beginning of each school year your child is […]
If you are a parent of a special education student or advocating for one, do yourself a favor and . . . PRINT OUT THIS ARTICLE (or at least the plan below). Not only will this article save you time and lots of money, it will help you understand how best to help your child […]
Sometimes you just need some quick tips to help you through the maze that is special education law. Fair enough. Here are my Top Ten tips for parents and advocates: 1. Put everything in writing! Document every single thing you do as it will only help your child and help if you find yourself in a […]
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