Special Ed Advocate Newsletter, June 8, 2004 (Issue 263)

At Wrightslaw, our goals are to help you gain the information and skills you need to navigate the confusing world of special education.

Highlights: Summer school for parents; get a psychoeducational evaluation; measure child's progress; learn about SMART IEPs; what people are saying about Wrightslaw books; Scratch n' Dent Sale; get your state academic standards; Wrightslaw programs in Sacramento & Grand Rapids; get help from Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities.

Quote of the Week: "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." - John Wooden, basketball coach

In part two of Summer School for Parents, you learn about evaluations, how to measure educational progress, how to write SMART IEP goals and objective and how to use your state academic standards to negotiate a better program for your child.

Parents, you need to get a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation of your child by an independent evaluator in the private sector - this is your roadmap for the future. This evaluation should describe the educational services the child needs - and provide baseline data so you can measure your child's educational progress. (See Measuring Your Child's Educational Progress)

Choose an evaluator who is independent of the school district and who is willing to work with the school staff. These articles explain what an evaluation should include and why evaluations are so important.

What You Should Know about Evaluations by Robert K. Crabtree, Esq.

What to Expect of an Evaluation of Your Child by Marianne S. Meyer, M.A.

For more information about evaluations, read Chapter 8, Evaluations and Your Child's Disability in Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy).

Tip: Be sure the evaluator does not use the terms "best" or "maximize the child's potential" in the evaluation report - these terms are fatal. Your child is entitled to an appropriate education (not the best).

For strategies to find an educational consultant, psychologist, advocate or attorney, read How to Find an Educational Consultant, Advocate, Attorney. You'll learn more strategies in the last installment of Summer School for Parents next week.

Pete says, "Knowing how to measure your child's educational progress is more important than knowing the law." Is your child learning and making good progress in the special ed program? Is your child falling further behind the peer group?

To be an effective advocate, you need to learn how to use the bell curve to measure educational progress. You need to learn about percentile ranks and standard scores, composite scores and subtest scatter.

Download and print Tests & Measurements for the Parent, Teacher, Advocate and Attorney. (This article is the #1 download from Wrightslaw) To ensure that you have the graphics in this article, print the article from the screen. Expect to read this article at least three times. Use a highlighter. Make margin notes. Be patient - stick with it.

“A must have book for anyone who works in Special Education.” Margaret J. Kay, Ed.D. Psychologist

Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy - The Special Education Survival Guide - $19.95 - $10 Off

"A superb reference . . . very highly recommended reading for all parents of children in need of adapted or special education services ... " Midwest Book Review

"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

Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind with NCLB CD ROM - $29.95

“Easy to read, incredibly informative – a ‘must read’ for all parents in America.” — Dr. Elaine Holden, The Reading Foundation

“Does an amazing job of making this law understandable and accessible to lay folk, like me.” — Sandra Rief, master teacher and author of How to Reach and Teach ADD/ADHD Children

50% Discount on Bulk Purchases of Wrightslaw Books -The Advocacy Challenge Discount is a 50% discount on bulk purchases of Wrightslaw books.

Exam Copies - Teachers in colleges and universities around the country use Wrightslaw books in their education, special education and special education law courses. Learn more

Scratch-n-Dent Sale: Special Ed Law, From Emotions to Advocacy and No Child Left Behind - $9.95 each - Limited quantities available. Order Now

7. Join Pete & Pam Wright for an Advocacy Training Program: CA, MI

Please join Pete and Pam Wright for a one-day Advocacy Seminar or two-day Boot Camp. These programs are designed to meet the needs of parents, educators, health care providers, advocates and attorneys who represent children with disabilities.

July 17-18: Boot Camp, Sacramento, CA- 1st Boot Camp on West Coast! Sponsored by Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT).

Download informational flyer and registration form.

July 21, 2004: Advocacy Training Program, Grand Rapids, MI. Sponsored by The Williams Sydrome Association.

Download Registration Form (Fee: $75) Participants receive two Wrightslaw books with their registration (value $59.90)

Fall 2004: Programs are scheduled in Indianapolis, IN; Hartford, CT; Virginia Beach, VA. Full schedule

If you are interested in bringing Pete and Pam Wright to your community, please read our FAQs about Seminars. (We are scheduling programs for 2005-2006.)

8. Need Help? Visit the Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities

If you are looking for help - or a helper - visit the Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities. Your state Yellow Pages has many resources - evaluators, speech language therapists, tutors, special ed schools, advocates, attorneys, organizations and support groups.

Free Listings in the Yellow Pages: If you help parents get services for children (i.e., an evaluator, educational consultant, academic tutor, advocate, attorney, special ed school, etc.) or you facilitate a support or study group for parents, submit an application be listed in the Yellow Pages for Kids. Send an email to app@yellowpagesforkids.com for an application. Listings in the Yellow Pages are free.

Help Others: Please print and distribute Flyers for Your State Yellow Pages for Kids.

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.