Drawing on decades of experience, Jennifer Laviano, a high-profile special education attorney, and Julie Swanson, a sought-after special education advocate, help parents of students with disabilities navigate their school systems to get the services they need for their children. Parents will find no other book on special education like Your Special Education Rights. Julie and Jennifer demystify the federal laws that govern the rights of public school children with disabilities and explain how school districts often ignore or circumvent these laws. They pull the curtain back on the politics of special education, exposing truths that school districts don’t want you to know, such as the fact that teachers are often under extraordinary pressure not to spend resources on services. Most importantly, they outline the central rights you and your child have regarding your child’s education. Did you know that you can refer your child for a special education evaluation? That you can ask for a second opinion if you disagree with the results of some or all of the testing? That you are entitled to parent counseling, training, and more? They also show you how to take that knowledge and apply it to advocating for your child. Here’s what you need to know about the paperwork you will have to complete, detailed information on how to advocate for your child and how to craft language in documents that benefit your child, and more. Filled with vital information and invaluable resources, Your Special Education Rights gives you the information you need to help your child succeed in school and beyond.

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.

This book helps readers with real-world situations. It is easy and user-friendly, this book provides strategies and tools to aid in communicating with parents.

An essential handbook for educating students in the 21st century, since its initial publication A Principal's Guide to Special Education has provided guidance to school administrators seeking to meet the needs of students with disabilities. The third edition of this invaluable reference, updated in collaboration with and endorsed by the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the National Association of Secondary School Principals and incorporating the perspectives of both teachers and principals, addresses such current issues as teacher accountability and evaluation, instructional leadership, collaborative teaching and learning communities, discipline procedures for students with disabilities, and responding to students' special education needs within a standards-based environment.

Building and supporting effective special education programs School leaders and special educators are expected to be experts on all levels and types of special education law and services, types of disability, and aspects of academic and functional programming. With the increasing demands of the job and the ever-changing legal and educational climate, many administrators and teachers are overwhelmed, and few feel adequately prepared to meet the demands. Trends and Legal Issues in Special Education helps you build and support timely, legally sound, and effective special education services and programs. Readers will find: the most up-to-date information on how to effectively implement special education programs, processes, and procedures examination of a wide variety of issues, from developing and implementing individual education programs (IEPs) that confer a free appropriate public education, Section 504, least restrictive environment (LRE), and successfully collaborating with parents, to issues regarding accountability, staffing, bullying, early childhood special education, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), evidence-based practices, transition, discipline, and the school-to-prison pipeline extensive references and resources Written as a comprehensive reference for all who work with students with disabilities, this book offers the most up-to-date research and field-tested strategies from a range of experts that special education professionals can confidently and immediately apply.

"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"--

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.