It is vital for all professionals in the field of education to have a practical understanding of the laws that are in place to protect the children with whom they work. The Comprehensive Guide to Special Education Law is a detailed yet accessible introduction to federal law as it applies to the rights of children with special needs. Written in a user-friendly question and answer format, the book covers all of the key areas of special education law including parental rights of participation, the legal right to Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and related services, and the complex issues of discipline and dispute resolutions. This book provides educators with knowledge of the requirements, history, and evolution of the laws that impact their daily working lives and gives them the information they need to help parents obtain better services for their children. This is an indispensible handbook that teachers, school management, and school counselors will refer to again and again.

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.

The Essentials of Special Education Law distills the legal complexities of special education into a practical resource for preparation programs as well as professionals in the field. Written and organized with college students and practicing educators in mind, this book serves as a go-to guide to the historical underpinnings of special education, the six pillars of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), essential court cases that have propelled the field of special education to where it is today, and practical application tips to ensure legal compliance. With 45 years of combined special education legal experience, authors Andrew Markelz and David Bateman present the essential components of special education law like never before.

For every course in Special Education Law and Education Law, or as a perfect supplement to any Educational Administration course, Legal Aspects of Special Education was written by a practitioner to help teachers, administrators, and advocates understand special education law in everyday language- without excessive legalese or extraneous case law. Different in many ways from other special education law texts on the market, all of the elements of this text are intended to help its students obtain the most critical information about special education law and how it is applied in the real world. Some unique features include: a fascinating opening interview and then epilogue with Joe Ballard, a pioneer of the IDEA movement; a discussion of Response-to-Intervention (RTI) and the implication of IDEA 2004 for school districts; and a discussion of the history of special education and its link to the Civil Rights Movement. Additionally, the book provides case studies and application questions, critical thinking questions, the most current information on the laws including No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004, and a discussion of major trends changing the laws, including that of autism.