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Wrightslaw: The Special Education Survival Guide: from Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition: from Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition » (2nd Edition)

Book cover image of Wrightslaw: The Special Education Survival Guide: from Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition: from Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition by Peter W. Wright

Authors: Peter W. Wright, Pam Wright, Pamela Darr Wright
ISBN-13: 9781892320094, ISBN-10: 1892320096
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Harbor House
Date Published: January 2006
Edition: 2nd Edition

Author Biography: Peter W. Wright

Book Synopsis

	Introduction	xiii
	From Emotions to Advocacy	xiii
	Why Advocate?	xiv
	What You Will Learn	xiv
	Icons	xv
	How This Book is Organized	xv
	A Note to Parents of Section 504 Children	xvii
	A Note to Special Educators	xvii
Section 1.	Getting Started	1
Chapter 1.	Learning About Advocacy	3
	Why Advocate?	4
	Different Types of Advocates	4
	What Advocates Do	5
	The Parent's Journey From Emotions to Advocacy	6
	Supplies	7
	In Summation	7
Chapter 2.	Creating Your Master Plan	9
	The Need to Plan	9
	Elements of a Master Plan	10
	Planning for the Future	12
	Laura and Steve: Planning	12
	Writing Your Master Plan	13
	In Summation	16
Chapter 3.	The Parent as Project Manager	17
	Contractors and Project Managers	17
	The Special Education Project Manager	17
	Tips: Taking Care of Yourself	19
	In Summation	20
Section 2.	Advocacy 101	21
Chapter 4.	Learning the Rules of the Game	23
	The Rules	23
	Understanding the School	24
	Learning About Your School District	25
	Rules of the Game	26
	In Summation	27
Chapter 5.	Obstacles to Success	29
	Obstacles to Advocacy	29
	School Obstacles	30
	Parent Obstacles	33
	Dealing with Difficult People	34
	Warning: Common Emotional Traps	40
	Your Relationship with the School	40
	In Summation	40
Chapter 6.	Resolving Parent-School Conflict	41
	The Nature of Parent-School Conflict	41
	Real Issues: Expense and Control	43
	Common Parent-School Problems	44
	Tips to Resolve Problems	49
	In Summation	51
Chapter 7.	Emergency, Crisis, Help!	53
	Help! Events That Trigger Crises	53
	Crisis Management, Step-by-Step	54
	Short-Term Solutions	54
	Long Term Planning	55
	In Summation	57
Section 3.	The Parent as Expert	59
Chapter 8.	Evaluations and Your Child's Disability	61
	Get a Comprehensive Evaluation	61
	Finding Evaluators	62
	Understanding Test Results	62
	Limitations of School Evaluations	64
	Learn About the Disability	64
	Learn About Effective Educational Practices	65
	In Summation	65
Chapter 9.	The File: Do It Right!	67
	Document Management System	67
	Gather Information About Your Child	67
	Organizing the Master File	68
	Create Your List of Documents	70
	In Summation	72
Chapter 10.	Tests and Measurements 101	73
	Mike	73
	Measuring Growth: Rulers, Yardsticks, and Other Tools	74
	Measuring Educational Change: Test Scores	75
	Learning About Evaluations	75
	Statistics 101	76
	The Bell Curve: A Powerful Tool	80
	Learning How Test Scores Are Reported	84
	In Summation	86
Chapter 11.	Tests and Measurements 102	87
	Katie	87
	Learning About Composite Scores	88
	Using Pre- and Post-Testing to Measure Progress	89
	Norm-Referenced and Criterion-Referenced Tests	90
	Test Categories and Descriptions	97
	Charting Test Scores	100
	Your Homework Assignment	102
	In Summation	102
Chapter 12.	SMART IEPs	103
	Learning About SMART IEPs	103
	Smart IEP Goals and Objectives	104
	Present Levels of Performance	105
	Legal Definitions: Goals, Objectives and Benchmarks	106
	Measuring and Monitoring the Child's Progress	107
	Learning to Write SMART Goals and Objectives	108
	The SMART Weight Loss Program	108
	Mike Trains for the Fitness Test	112
	Kevin Learns to Type	112
	Megan Learns to Read	113
	Non-Goals: Attitude Statements	113
	Non-Goals: States of Being	114
	Homework Assignment #1: You Learn to Write Goals	115
	Homework Assignment #2: You Learn to Write SMART IEP Goals and Objectives	115
	In Summation	116
Section 4.	Special Education Law	117
Chapter 13.	IDEA--Overview and Legislative Intent	119
	Legislative Intent	119
	The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997	120
	In Summation	120
Chapter 14.	IDEA--Section 1400: Findings and Purposes	121
	20 U.S.C. [section] 1400 Congressional Findings and Purpose	121
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Findings and Purposes	123
	In Summation	124
Chapter 15.	IDEA--Section 1401: Definitions	125
	20 U.S.C. [section] 1401 Definitions	125
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Definitions	128
	In Summation	130
Chapter 16.	IDEA--Section 1412: LRE, ESY, Child Find, Private Placement, Assessments	131
	20 U.S.C. [section] 1412--State Eligibility	131
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Child Find, Least Restrictive Environment, Private Placements, State and District Assessments	134
	In Summation	139
Chapter 17.	IDEA--Section 1414: Evaluations, Eligibility, IEPs and Placement	141
	20 U.S.C. [section] 1414(a) Evaluations and Reevaluations	141
	Additional Requirements for Evaluations and Reevaluations	143
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Evaluations and Eligibility	145
	20 U.S.C. [section] 1414(d) Individualized Education Programs	146
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Placement	150
	In Summation	152
Chapter 18.	IDEA--Section 1415: Procedural Safeguards, Due Process, Discipline, etc.	153
	20 U.S.C. [section] 1415--Procedural Safeguards	154
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Prior Written Notice and Procedural Safeguards Notice	156
	20 U.S.C. [section] 1415(e), (f), (g), (h), and (i)--Mediation, Due Process Hearings, Appeals to Court	157
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Mediation, Due Process Hearings, Appeals to Court, Attorneys' Fees	161
	20 U.S.C. [section] 1415(k) Placement in Alternative Educational Setting	165
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Discipline	170
	20 U.S.C. [section] 1415 (m) Transfer of Parental Rights at Age of Majority	173
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Age of Majority	173
Chapter 19.	Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act	175
	Wrightslaw Discussion of Section 504, ADA and IDEA	176
	Section 504, ADA, High Stakes Testing, Statewide Assessments	178
	In Summation	184
Chapter 20.	Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act	185
	FERPA	185
	In Summation	189
Section 5.	Tactics and Strategies	191
Chapter 21.	The Rules of Adverse Assumptions	193
	The Rules of Adverse Assumptions	194
	To Avoid Conflict, Prepare for Conflict	197
	Proof and Evidence	197
	Simple Themes Win Cases	198
	In Summation	199
Chapter 22.	Creating Paper Trails	201
	Why Document?	201
	Logs, Journals and Calendars	202
	How to Use a Problem Report	205
	Handling Telephone Calls	206
	In Summation	206
Chapter 23.	How to Write Good Evidence Letters	207
	Why You Write Letters	207
	Strategies: Writing Good Letters	209
	Letter Writing Pitfalls	211
	Using Strategies in Letters	212
	In Summation	218
Chapter 24.	Writing the "Letter to the Stranger"	219
	The Blame Approach	219
	Impact of Angry Letters	220
	The Story-Telling Approach	220
	Using Persuasive Strategies in Letters	222
	Writing "Letters to the Stranger"	223
	In Summation	225
Chapter 25.	Preparing for Meetings: Taking Control	227
	You are a Negotiator	227
	Five Rules for Successful Problem Solving	228
	Preparing for School Meetings	230
	Image and Presentation	235
	In Summation	235
Chapter 26.	Meeting Strategies: Maintaining Control	237
	School Meeting Anxiety	237
	Meeting Strategies	238
	Common Meeting Problems	240
	Use the Problem-Resolution Worksheet	242
	Post-meeting Strategies	245
	In Summation	245
Chapter 27.	In Summation	247
	Appendices	249
Appendix A.	Appendix A to 34 C.F.R. Part 300	249
Appendix B.	Your Rights and Responsibilities Under IDEA	277
Appendix C.	Frequently Asked Questions About Special Education, from NICHCY	281
Appendix D.	State Departments of Special Education	297
Appendix E.	Parent Training Information Centers by State	303
Appendix F.	Disabilities Organizations and Information Groups	313
Appendix G.	Legal and Advocacy Resources	323
Appendix H.	Free Publications	327
Appendix I.	Sample Letters to the School	331
Appendix J.	Glossary of Special Education and Legal Terms	351
Appendix K.	Glossary of Assessment Terms	361
	Bibliography	367
	Index	369