Navigate and Advocate: A Parent's Guide to the Special Education Process from a Mom and a Professional

by Tisha Eisenhuth

Overview

When You Understand the Process, You Achieve Progress, with a foreword by Temple Grandin.

Do you think your child might have a disability and needs a school evaluation, but you don’t know where to start? Do you find the special education process with all the meetings and excessive terminology to be overwhelming? This guide can help.

The power tools needed to help build and execute a successful plan for your child are all included in this manual.

These include understanding:

• basic federal and state laws,

• documentation,

• how the process works,

• your rights as a parent,

• the value of teamwork,

• how to maintain high but realistic expectations,

• plus, IEP meeting tips!

The author’s unique perspective has been shaped by both personal and professional experiences, and in collaborating with school personnel through both roles.

Her passion for helping other parents through the complexities of special education and supporting students of all abilities shines through in Navigate and Advocate.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781963367447
Publisher:	Future Horizons, Inc.
Publication date:	12/02/2025
Sold by:	PUBLISHDRIVE KFT
Format:	eBook
Pages:	70
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Tisha Eisenhuth, M.S.Ed., has navigated special education in a public school for twelve years as a parent of a child with autism, and for more than eight years supporting other parents through the special education process as an Ohio Parent Mentor. It's what inspired her to get a graduate degree in special education with a focus on autism. Tisha’s unique perspective has been shaped by these personal and professional experiences, and in collaborating with school personnel through both of these roles. She is passionate about helping other parents through the complexities of special education and supporting students of all abilities to help them reach their potential. Tisha lives with her husband Joe and son Zachary near Cleveland, Ohio.

Temple Grandin earned her PhD in Animal Science from the University of Illinois and is currently a Professor at Colorado State University. Dr. Grandin is one of the most respected individuals with autism in the world. She presents at conferences nationwide, helping thousands of parents and professionals understand how to help individuals with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and PDD. She is the author of Emergence: Labeled Autistic, Thinking in Pictures, Animals in Translation (which spent many weeks on The New York Times Best—Seller List),The Autistic Brain, and The Loving Push, co—written with Debra Moore, PhD One of the most celebrated — and effective — animal advocates on the planet, Dr. Grandin revolutionized animal movement systems and spearheaded reform of the quality of life for the world's agricultural animals. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Read an Excerpt

Be Empowered

Being introduced to the world of special education can be intimidating. So many documents, so much information, so many acronyms, so much jargon. Sitting at the table with new faces who seem to speak a different language. I’ve been there, and I decided that in order to best help my child, I needed to select credible sources to read and learn all I could about my child’s disability, the school process, the roles of members on school teams, and my rights as a parent. Little did I know this quest to support my own child would set me on a path to work in the field of special education, sit at the table as a professional to support other parents, and to earn a Master of Science degree in Special Education. Regardless of the journey, I believe all parents and guardians have the ability to successfully collaborate and advocate for their children. Learning the main and plain components of special education can help make that possible. Research shows that strong collaboration between parents and schools leads to better student outcomes. Henderson and Mapp (2022) stated “successful partnerships between schools and Navigate & Advocate!

families grow over time in a climate of mutual respect and consideration, maintaining a strong common focus on the well—being of the child". The key truly is keeping the focus on a child and what is in their best interest. Keeping high expectations while considering realistic ability levels is essential. Imagine attending a special education meeting for your child at your local public school. You confidently walk into the room to discuss the Individualized Education Program (IEP). You have a folder of information about your child, including recent progress reports and a list of questions and concerns. You are ready to listen and speak with teachers, administrators, and any therapists attending. As the meeting opens, you already know the gist of what should be discussed and everyone’s role at the table. You are prepared to ask questions about the documents and even suggest things to add or be changed. You aren’t afraid to speak when opportunities arise and have knowledge of basic federal and state laws that may support any points of concern.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 — Navigating Special Education: Be Empowered, Federal Law, Public vs. Private Education

Chapter 2 — Evaluation Team Report (ETR): Requesting Assistance, Team, Timelines, and Assessments, Results, Qualifying for Services, Identification, Key Takeaways

Chapter 3 — Individualized Education Program (IEP): Legal Precedent, Being Reasonable, Adding or Changing, Layout, Reviewing, IEP Meeting Tips, Key Takeaways

Chapter 4 — Assuming the Role of Advocate: Procedural Safeguards, Organizing Documents, Medical vs. Educational, Routine Communication

Chapter 5 — Long—Term Success and Happiness: Planning for the Future, Pursuing Positive Outcomes, Onward

Resources

References