Be your child's best advocate! Children with special needs who succeed in school have one thing in common--their parents are passionate and effective advocates. It's not an easy job, but with The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education, you will learn how to evaluate, prepare, organize, and get quality services, no matter what your child's disability. This valuable handbook gives you the tools you need to navigate the complex world of special education and services, with information on: Assessment and evaluation Educational needs for different disabilities, including multiple disabilities Current law, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Working within the school system to create an IEP The importance of keeping detailed records Dealing with parent-school conflict With worksheets, forms, and sample documents and letters, you can be assured that you'll have all you need to help your child thrive--in school and in life!

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 essential guide profiles 33 schools in New York City for children with special needs, plus listings of medical professionals, camps, after-school programs, evaluation centers, and individuals in the field that were recommended by families of children with special needs. Includes information on referrals and evaluations, eligibility criteria, parents' rights, and more.

Written by parents who have been through the US special education system, this book cuts through the jargon to provide other parents with a no-nonsense road map full of valuable first-hand insights and tried-and-tested advice. The authors clearly describe: · the special education process, including the school hierarchies parents are likely to encounter and etiquette to be aware of when dealing with school personnel · the information parents should expect to see in school evaluations and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and what to do when this information is missing or insufficient · problems parents may encounter when the needs of the school conflict with the needs of a child, including how to deal with such situations and when to seek legal advice · the importance of organizing special education documentation and establishing a 'paper trail', and how to begin this process · why transition planning is so important, and transition services parents may want to consider for their child. Demonstrating that parents really do have the power to make special education work for their child, this empowering guide is essential reading for parents of children with disabilities who are new to the special education system in the US, as well as those who feel frustrated with the system.

Over six million American families are involved in special education, and the numbers are growing. The complex web of laws, regulations, personalities and stresses, combined with anxiety over raising a child with a disability, have made special education advocacy an impenetrable maze to many parents. This book presents the complexities of the process in a simple-to-understand way and offers practical tips, checklists and strategies on how to make the system work to insure the educational success of all children.

A Parentâ¬"s Guide to Special Education offers invaluable information and a positive vision of special education that will help parents through the potentially overwhelming processes of catch-all programs that encompasses dozens of learning challenges: developmental delay learning and physical disabilities emotional disturbance retardation autism, and others. Filled with practical recommendations, sample forms, and enlightening examples, this is a priceless resource for helping every child learn.

Special Education is a complex maze to navigate which lasts from birth to high school graduation. It prepares the disabled child for adult life. This book is designed to help you navigate this maze.