Negotiating solutions to disputes and/or claims saves time and money. Most of our experience is in the civil area, but the techniques and skills in special education cases are the same. By using these techniques, we rarely are forced to take a special ed case all the way to a hearing. Here are a few techniques that have worked for us. Perhaps they will be helpful for you. […]
The bank, elected official, a credit card company, a boss, a fellow employee, or a local handyman have all asked customers and consumers to “put that in writing, please.” For parents of children with disabilities, there are even more reasons to “put that in writing, please.” They might be providing documentation about their child’s disability to strangers. A request for a meeting with a teacher, a change in their child’s program, an adjustment to their child’s testing schedules — each may require a letter. And not all of us are comfortable writing a letter for these requests — it can be [...]
IEP meetings can be emotional and overwhelming, but knowing how to work with the education team effectively is very important. You are a key member of the IEP team with the unique perspective that comes with the long view of your child’s developmental history, dreams, and resources. Your participation is very important. As the IDEA notes: “Almost 30 years of research and experience has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by… strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring that families … have meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children [...]
What do you do? Turn to what IDEA says about support and training for school personnel. IDEA envisions services that are provided to the parents or teachers of a child with a disability to help them to more effectively work with the child – that’s why “supports for school personnel” was included in this section of the law.
If a parent, student or the school decides that the student will or should participate in nonacademic or extracurricular services and activities, the school must make plans that will allow the student to participate in these services and activities. As part of this process the IEP team must consider whether supplementary aids and services are “appropriate and necessary” to allow “an equal opportunity for participation”. If the student is provided aids, services or accommodations to allow them to participate in academic activities, then it would seem that these would probably be needed to allow “an equal opportunity for participation” in nonacademic [...]
Before school starts, read through the IEP to refresh your own memory. Talk over the learning goals with your child, especially those old enough to advocate for themselves. Then make sure each classroom teacher working with your child has a copy and understands the IEP’s intent.
