The Wrightslaw Way

Nina’s summer project last year… I organized all the documents I have into a chronological file as you suggest in From Emotions to Advocacy. It took months and is in 3 gigantic binders! But I have already had occasion to find things there several times. There were documents in there that I had totally forgotten […]

We just found out our non-verbal 13 year old son with autism spectrum disorder was being locked in a containment room when he failed to comply with his aide’s instructions. Sometimes this happens several times a day. The school administrator said he had no knowledge the room was being used. Yet, the administrator was the […]

Last week we posted about using an IEP Parent Attachment to add input to your child’s IEP. We heard immediately from Daunna who wrote: The question was “How can I deal with [the school's refusal to include a parent attachment]?” Judy Bonnell’s parent attachment form is a great idea, but it’s not really an attachment […]

We’ve been posting about using time this summer to review your child’s records and organize his special education file. Have you started yet? Here are 14 tips for reviewing your child’s record from Pat Howey. 1. Send a request letter to inspect and review your child’s records. 2. Specify all files in the letter, whether […]

Last week on the Community Helpline, Kim asked “Should a child’s special education file include copies of all evaluations and reports, especially those requested for annual review?” Sharon answered: “Your child’s record at the school district has to be a complete history of your child’s journey through special ed.” A complete history – yikes! How […]

If a student has scribe on his IEP for all subjects, is he supposed to have a scribe in math also? I was told “no” by a school administrator. I’m confused. If the IEP says a scribe in all subjects, that means all subjects. Math is a subject. You need to write a short letter […]

I am a special education teacher. I resigned from a public school because they ordered me to do something that was against special ed law. I contacted the State Board of Education but could not get help at the state level. I was forced to quit my job so that I could make a stand. […]

I just reviewed your Summer School for Parents: Lesson #4. I am the mom who wrote about the need for a particular type of placement for my son with autism. Never thought that my letter about How I Got the School to Change My Son’s Program & Placement would show up there! Here’s the further […]

My daughter attended her first IEP meeting today, it was a disaster. Does she have the right to write on the IEP under parental concerns? She wanted to write a statement about her daughter being dyslexic and they wouldn’t let her? There is no legal or commonsense reason why a parent or any other IEP […]

Recently, someone asked a question about homebound services, whether the law limits the time for direct instruction. Here’s the question… My daughter is on home bound services and the special education director insists that by law the school district is only required to provide 2 hours of services a week, regardless of what the IEP […]