Special Education Law and Advocacy
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 fell and broke your arm, would you go to a heart surgeon? Of course not. You would go to an orthopedic doctor who could determine whether you need a cast, sling, surgery, etc. The same principle applies in law. If someone has sued you for cutting down the tree on their property, you wouldn’t […]
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 […]
Any teacher will tell you that managing classroom behavior is critical to surviving the first days and weeks of the school year. But how? The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2009 provides guidelines of procedures that must be adhered to when disciplining students with Special Needs. Teachers have the legislation to guide them, but […]
Amazin Blue Press LLC is pleased to announce publication of its new title: SchoolKidsLawyer’s Step-By-Step Guide to Special Education Law: Workbook for Parents, Advocates and Lawyers by Robert C. Thurston, Esq. This 266 page book is a user-friendly guide to assist families of children with disabilities, complete with forms, helpful tips, and links. According to […]
As you may know if you have been reading my 2 Things: Special Education Law Tips Newsletter, there are laws which grant access rights to parents of their student’s educational records. This is especially true when the student is a child with a disability. Such rights are granted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act […]
I am an attorney who represents children with disabilities and their families in special education matters. I am also a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (“COPAA”, www.copaa.org), a national organization of special education lawyers and advocates with the same client base. Recently, my colleagues and I have witnessed a substantial uptick in very […]
When a parent disputes a decision made by a school district regarding the special education and/or services of their child, one option is to file a “Due Process Complaint”. [See Procedural Safeguards, 20 USC 1415(b)(6) and (c)(2).] When a complaint is filed, the state’s Department of Education assigns the case to an “Independent Hearing Officer”. […]
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 […]
Recently, I was asked this (not so) hypothetical: “4th grade child has an IEP (high functioning Down Syndrome) and is placed in a life skills classroom. There is one special education teacher and seven aides rotating through the classroom. Reading and math instruction is being solely taught by an aide with the teacher touching base […]
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