Why Special Education Due Process Cases Are NOT Full-Blown Lawsuits

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School board attorneys have managed to turn special education due process hearings into all-out, scorched Earth lawsuits, as if it was Microsoft vs. IBM.  In fact, they have convinced administrative hearing officers and judges that this is the way it should be. But Due Process cases are not supposed to be full-blown litigation.  Here are […]

Public Schools Have Made Your Child the Enemy and You, the Taxpayer, Are Funding Their Battle – Part II (A Case Study)

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An Open Letter to the Williamson County (TN) School Board and Williamson County (TN) Commission from a Concerned Parent . . . [Reprinted with permission.  Names withheld to protect the identity of the child.]   Dear County Commissioners and School Board Members, I am writing regarding a resolution that both the Williamson County School Board […]

Who is on the IEP Team?

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Perhaps one of the most confusing parts of special education law for parents (and some schools) is who is on the IEP team.  There are both “mandatory” members of the IEP team as well as “permissive” members.  IDEA makes this very clear. Mandatory Members of the IEP Team There are five (5) mandatory members of […]

Relentless – A Michigan Man

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I’m going to tell you something about myself, but first I’m going to tell you a story.  You’ll wonder for a paragraph or two where this is going, but stick with me.  You will learn why this post is on my special education law blog. What is a “Michigan Man”? There are many articles and […]

Evaluations vs. IEP Meetings – A Very Important Distinction

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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 […]

Put Communications Between Teachers and Parents in the IEP

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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. […]

Bullying and the Gebser Letter

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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 […]

Public Schools Have Made Your Child the Enemy and You, the Taxpayer, Are Funding Their Battle

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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, […]

What is a “reasonable accommodation”?

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Recently I was asked to explain what a “reasonable accommodation” is. The person put the question in some context:   Their child’s “special education school thinks a table in classroom with curtain is a reasonable accommodation for his bathroom needs. The class is coed teenagers with different cognitive and physical abilities.” I doubt this is a […]

Websites for Parents of Twice Exceptional (2e) Kids

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Identifying 2e Children https://www.brainbalancecenters.com/blog/2015/02/identifying-twice-exceptional-children/   Tips for Parents: Meeting the Needs of 2e Children http://www.davidsongifted.org/Search-Database/entry/A10140   7 Myths About 2E Students https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/empowering-your-child/building-on-strengths/7-myths-about-twice-exceptional-2e-students   Gifted Children With Learning Disabilities https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/empowering-your-child/building-on-strengths/gifted-childrens-challenges-with-learning-and-attention-issues   2e Newsletter http://www.2enewsletter.com/index.html   NEA: Twice Exceptional Dilemma http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/twiceexceptional.pdf [PDF File]   Amazon.com Books on 2e Kids http://amzn.to/2jtknFy