Your Special Education Rights: What Your School District Isn't Telling You

by Jennifer Laviano, Julie Swanson

Overview

Drawing on decades of experience, a special education attorney and 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510719392
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	08/15/2017
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Jennifer Laviano is a special education attorney in private practice in Connecticut. Her firm's representation of children with special needs encompasses the full spectrum of advocacy under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504, from attendance at IEP team meetings and mediation to litigation in due process hearings and federal court. She is a regular presenter on the subject of the special legal rights of children with disabilities and their entitlement to receive a free and appropriate education and to be free from disability-based discrimination.

Julie Swanson is a special education advocate whose practice grew out of her efforts to help her son. As an advocate, she helps parents navigate the special education process, including attending IEP and Section 504 meetings. She speaks frequently on special education matters and has a long-standing history of service on special education–related state boards, task forces, and legislative appointments to state councils.

Table of Contents

A Note from the Authors xi

Introduction: The One/Two Punch xvii

Part 1 What Your School District Isn't Telling You 1

1 Your Special Education Director May Not Know Who You Are 5

2 Who's Chairing the Meeting, Anyway? 9

3 They Care about Money. A Lot. 15

4 Teachers Need to Eat, Too 25

5 The Tension between Regular and Special Education 31

6 Other Parents Are Complaining about Your Kid 39

7 The Meeting before the Meeting 45

8 The Teacher Needs Help, bat Nobody Wants to Say So 49

9 The Least Trained Person and the Most Complex Children 53

10 Why They Care about Which Label They Give Your Child 59

11 The Perils of Doing Nothing: Lessons from Sandy Hook 65

Part 2 Moving Forward 73

12 You Have Rights 75

13 The Right to Ask for an Evaluation for Services 81

14 The Right to a Second Opinion 87

15 Counseling and Training Are Not Just for Kids 95

16 Discrimination, Retaliation, Intimidation, Oh My! 101

17 Procedural Safeguards 109

18 You Shouldn't Have to Pay for That 113

19 Can You Observe Your Child in School? 117

20 Scheduling IEP Meetings 125

21 Special Education Urban Legends Exposed 129

22 Getting Ready for Primetime: Transition to Adulthood 135

Part 3 Where the Rubber Meets the Road 141

23 Demystify the Paperwork 143

24 We Have a Form for That! 147

25 Bring Your A Game 153

26 Know the Players 161

27 Toothless IEP Language 167

28 Little-Understood IEP Essentials 173

29 Finding Your Advocacy Style 183

30 Best-Kept Secrets 187

References 193

Acknowledgments 197

Index 201

Editorial Reviews

"With wit and wisdom this dynamic duo of skilled practitioners share helpful insight for families struggling to access special education services and supports." —Denise Marshall, executive director, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates

"With this book, Jennifer and Julie make the IEP process a little less scary, by providing real, step-by-step examples of how to navigate the world of special education. This is the book I wish existed when my son was diagnosed with autism fourteen years ago, as it would have served as an invaluable resource for my advocacy on his behalf. A must-have for all parents of children receiving special education services!" —Shannon Knall, Wisconsin Autism Council

"There are many books out there about special education rights, but this one stands out among the best. Jen and Julie bring decades of their collective wisdom to the table and it shows. They guide us through a complicated and confusing world that's wrought with jargon, misconceptions and steaming emotions, all while simultaneously injecting levity at exactly the right moments. . . . It’s this combination of passion, professionalism, and personality that makes Your Special Education Rights worth a read.” —David DesRoches, journalist, WNPR

"What most special education parents want and need—a comprehensive but practical guide that not only discusses the law but also “What Your School District Isn’t Telling You” and “What You Can Do About It.” . . . I highly recommend this book not only to parents, but really to anyone involved in special education." —Mona Roy, attorney and mother of two special education children

"In my position as an administrator at a school for students with learning disabilities, I receive at least one request per week from families of students with LD asking what their rights are in the public-school setting and what the procedures are for exercising them. I’ve long wished that I could refer those families (and related professionals) to a single resource. That resource has arrived. . . . Every parent of a student with LD in the US school system should keep handy a copy of this surprisingly clear guide to emotionally fraught terrain." —Kevin Pendergast, head of school, the Kildonan School

"With wit and wisdom this dynamic duo of skilled practitioners share helpful insight for families struggling to access special education services and supports." —Denise Marshall, executive director, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates

"With this book, Jennifer and Julie make the IEP process a little less scary, by providing real, step-by-step examples of how to navigate the world of special education. This is the book I wish existed when my son was diagnosed with autism fourteen years ago, as it would have served as an invaluable resource for my advocacy on his behalf. A must-have for all parents of children receiving special education services!" —Shannon Knall, Wisconsin Autism Council

"There are many books out there about special education rights, but this one stands out among the best. Jen and Julie bring decades of their collective wisdom to the table and it shows. They guide us through a complicated and confusing world that's wrought with jargon, misconceptions and steaming emotions, all while simultaneously injecting levity at exactly the right moments. . . . It’s this combination of passion, professionalism, and personality that makes Your Special Education Rights worth a read.” —David DesRoches, journalist, WNPR

"What most special education parents want and need—a comprehensive but practical guide that not only discusses the law but also “What Your School District Isn’t Telling You” and “What You Can Do About It.” . . . I highly recommend this book not only to parents, but really to anyone involved in special education." —Mona Roy, attorney and mother of two special education children

"In my position as an administrator at a school for students with learning disabilities, I receive at least one request per week from families of students with LD asking what their rights are in the public-school setting and what the procedures are for exercising them. I’ve long wished that I could refer those families (and related professionals) to a single resource. That resource has arrived. . . . Every parent of a student with LD in the US school system should keep handy a copy of this surprisingly clear guide to emotionally fraught terrain." —Kevin Pendergast, head of school, the Kildonan School

From the Publisher