Wrightslaw

The Special Ed Advocate Newsletter
May 13, 2003


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In this Issue


Wrightslaw Game Plan: IEP Goals and Objectives

Tutorial: IEP Goals & Objectives

IEP Checklists

Q: How Can I Get My Child's IEP Revised?

IEP Help in From Emotions to Advocacy

Support for School Personnel, Parent Training

Advocacy Training: FL, VA

Subscription & Contact Info
 

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At Wrightslaw, our goals are to help you gain the information and skills you need to navigate the confusing world of special education. This issue is part of a series about IEPs.

Highlights: Wrightslaw Game Plan for IEP goals and objectives; how to write measurable IEP goals & objectives; IEP checklists; how to get an IEP revised; help in From Emotions to Advocacy; support for school personnel & parent training in IEPs; advocacy programs in Florida, Virginia.

Quote of the Week: "Remember that 'measurable' means you can count it or observe it." (To learn who wrote this statement, scroll down to the tutorials about writing measurable IEP goals and objectives.)

Subscribers on May 13, 2003: 43,334

FETA Study Group: Do you want to learn about special education advocacy? Learn how you can start a FETA Study Group. https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/advo.feta.groups.htm

The Special Ed Advocate newsletter is free! Please forward this issue or the subscription link to your friends and colleagues so they can learn about special education law and advocacy too - https://www.wrightslaw.com/subscribe.htm

Download newsletter in html: https://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/03/nl.0513.htm


1. Wrightslaw Game Plan: IEP Goals and Objectives

Diane writes, "I need good IEP goals and objectives!"

"I know my son's IEP is inadequate - the only goal is 'Commitment to academic success.' I need to find good measurable IEP goals and objectives. Can you point me to a source or site that has a model of a well-written IEP?"

Mary writes, "Help! I need good IEP goals and objectives!"

"I am a special education graduate student. I need to get my hands on some good IEP goals and objectives - I do not have experience with this. Can you point me in the right direction?" 

Parent, teachers, school administrators - it seems like everyone is confused about how to write measurable IEP goals and objectives. Why are IEP goals and objectives so difficult? What makes the IEP process so confusing? 

Read Wrightslaw Game Plan: IEP Goals and Objectives:  

https://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/plan_iep_goals.html

IEP Articles, Resources: https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/iep.index.htm


2. Tutorials: How to Write Measurable IEP Goals & Objectives

These IEP Tutorials are memoranda from Nissan Bar-Lev, special ed director of CESA-7, to his teachers. Use these articles and checklists to fine-tune your skills in writing measurable IEP goals and objectives.


The CESA-7 site won 1st place in our Best School Website Contest

http://www.fetaweb.com/best.htm


This site is a rich source of information for parents and teachers. We encourage you to visit this website - you'll be glad you did!

http://www.cesa7.k12.wi.us/sped


How to Write Measurable Annual Goals


In How to Write Measurable Annual Goals, Nissan Bar Lev, CESA-7 special ed director writes: "Remember that 'measurable' means you can count it or observe it."

http://www.fetaweb.com/03/iep.goals.measurable1.htm

How to Make Annual Goals Measurable: Examples & Tips

Using typical IEP goals, Nissan Bar-Lev explains why the goals are not clear or measurable, and walks you through the process of revising the goals so they are clear and measurable. Read
How to Make Annual Goals Measurable: Examples and Tips at:

http://www.fetaweb.com/03/iep.goals.measurable2.htm


3. IEP Checklists

Our thanks to Nissan Bar-Lev, Donita O'Donnell, and the staff of Cooperative Educational Service Agency #7 (CESA) for permission to use these checklists.

Present Levels of Performance Checklist. Key question; purpose; definition; key characteristics; writing strategy:

http://www.fetaweb.com/03/iep.chklist.plop.htm

Annual Goals Checklist. Key question; purpose; definition; key characteristics; writing strategy.

http://www.fetaweb.com/03/iep.chklist.goals.htm

Short Term Objectives and Benchmarks Checklist. Key question; purpose; key characteristics; writing strategy.

http://www.fetaweb.com/03/iep.cklist.objectives.htm

IEP Review Checklist. If you are preparing for an IEP meeting, review this checklist.

http://www.fetaweb.com/03/iep.chklist.review.htm

Tip: Make several copies of these articles to share with the IEP team.

Cooperative Educational Service Agency No. 7 (CESA-7) won first place in the Wrightslaw Best School Website Contest: http://www.fetaweb.com/best.htm

We hope other school districts will use the CESA-7 site as a template for their websites.


4. Question of the Week: How Can I Get My Child's IEP Revised?

"My child isn’t making progress under the current IEP. I asked that the IEP team meet to revise the IEP. I was told that I cannot ask that the IEP be changed because I signed agreement a few months ago. Is this true?"

What do you think? What do the law and regulations say about revising IEPs?

Read How Can I Get My Child's IEP Revised? at:

https://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/ltrs/iep_revise.htm


More questions & answers: https://www.wrightslaw.com/faqs.htm


5. Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy - The Special Education Survival Guide

In Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy - The Special Education Survival Guide, we walk you though the IEP process. You learn:

• How to become an expert about your child’s disability and educational needs
• How to organize your child’s file
• How to use information from tests to understand your child’s disability
• How to use test scores to monitor and measure your child’s progress
• How to write SMART IEP goals and objectives

"Did you promise yourself you would be better prepared for your Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting this year? If so, From Emotions to Advocacy will serve as your guide . . . We award the Wrights the Exceptional Parent Symbol of Excellence."

Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy includes chapters about evaluations, how to organize your child's file, two chapters about how to use the bell curve to measure progress or lack of progress, and a chapter about SMART IEPs.

Short Table of Contents: https://www.wrightslaw.com/bks/feta/feta.toc.htm

Complete Table of Contents: https://www.wrightslaw.com/bks/feta/toc.pdf

"If I were asked to choose just one book to help me learn advocacy skills, this is it!" - Support for Families of Children with Disabilities Newsletter

Learn about Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy: https://www.wrightslaw.com/bks/feta/feta.htm

Internet Orders: https://www.wrightslaw.com/store/index.html

Mail, Fax & Phone Orders: https://www.wrightslaw.com/bks/orderform.htm

Advocacy Challenge Discount Program: https://www.wrightslaw.com/bks/advo_discount.htm


6. Support for School Personnel and Parent Training in IEPs: Often Overlooked Keys to Success

Are you a teacher who needs more training in proven methods of teaching and learning? Are you a parent who needs training so you can help educate your child?

In Support for School Personnel and Parent Training in IEPs: Often Overlooked Keys to Success, parent attorney Susan Bardet describes how IEP teams can use the tools provided by IDEA, including support for school personnel and training for parents.


https://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/support.bardet.htm

Read more articles
- https://www.wrightslaw.com/articles.htm


7. Advocacay Programs - Jacksonville FL & Roanoke, VA

Knowledge is power. When you have information and skills, you can negotiate with the school on your child's behalf.

May 16-17 2003 - Jacksonville, FL (Boot Camp)

https://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/03.05.fl.htm

FREE! Registration for Boot Camp is free for residents of Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, and St. Johns Counties! Registration is just $60.00 for other Florida residents and $70.00 for non-Florida residents.

All registrants will receive two free books - Wrightslaw: Special Education Law and Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy (value: $59.90)!

"I attended your Boot Camp with two coworkers. We learned SO MUCH in those two days! Your books could not be more helpful to anyone who works with special education students." - Christie from Kansas

Agenda
- https://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/03/al.0506.htm

14 CLE Credits are available for Florida attorneys. For more info about this Boot Camp, including hotels, directions, and things to do, go to: https://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/03.05.fl.htm

Download the conference brochure and registration form: https://www.wrightslaw.com/flyers/fl.05.03.pdf

"Before Boot Camp, special ed was occupying every worry cell in my brain. Now that I have a road map, I worry less and accomplish more." - Carolyn from Oklahoma

May 21, 2003 - Roanoke, VA
https://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/03.05.va.htm

Wrightslaw legal programs focus on four areas: special education laws, rights & responsibilities; how to use the bell curve to measure progress & regression; SMART IEPs; and how to use tactics & strategies for effective advocacy.

For more information about programs that will be held over the next few months, please check our Seminars & Training page. https://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/index.htm

We are booking programs for 2004. To learn how you can bring Pete & Pam Wright to your community, please read our FAQs about Seminars. https://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/faqs.htm


8. Subscription & Contact Info

The Special Ed Advocate is a free online newsletter about special education legal and advocacy issues, cases, and tactics and strategies. Subscribers receive "alerts" about new cases, events, and special offers on Wrightslaw books.

Law Library - https://www.wrightslaw.com/law.htm

Advocacy Library - https://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc.htm

Free Newsletter - https://www.wrightslaw.com/subscribe.htm

Newsletter Archives - https://www.wrightslaw.com/archives.htm

Seminars & Training - https://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/index.htm

Yellow Pages for Kids - http://www.fetaweb.com/help/states.htm

Contact Info

Pete and Pam Wright
Wrightslaw & The Special Ed Advocate
P. O. Box 1008
Deltaville, VA 23043
Website: https://www.wrightslaw.com
Email: newsletter@wrightslaw.com


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