Wrightslaw |
The
Special Ed Advocate Newsletter |
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At Wrightslaw, our mission is to help you gain the information and skills you need to navigate the changing world of special education. Highlights:
Education rights of homeless children; learn about the McKinney-Vento
Act for Educating Homeless Children & Youth; IDEA 2004/NCLB training
program in St. Clairsville OH/Wheeling, WV; Ways to Help After Katrina;
Relief for People with Disabilities. 1. From the Editor: More Than 250,000 Homeless Children We were transfixed, horrified, and emotionally overwhelmed by the pain and devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. More than 1 million people homeless, including over 250,000 school children. These children have lost their homes, friends, pets, and many have lost family members - including parents. The number of child refugees is expected to climb as we hear from more small, rural school systems in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. (Source: NPR article on returning children to school) As families leave devastated areas, many will disperse to friends’ and relatives’ homes across the country. They are stunned and helpless, not ready to start their lives over in a new city with a water bottle and a few vouchers for food. They are not self-sufficient and they need our help. 2. Education Rights of Homeless Children by Michael O'Connor, Esq. As
Mike O'Connor points out in Education
Rights of Homeless Children,
"For
children who have been traumatized by the loss of home, friends, and perhaps
death or injury of family members, returning to school is not only important
for educational purposes; attendance at a school becomes an oasis of normalcy
for them." Learn more about the requirements for Educating Homeless Children 3. Learn About the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to Educate Homeless Children and Youth As we thought about how we could help these homeless children and their families, Pete re-read the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the federal law that governs the education of homeless children and youth. The McKinney-Vento
Homeless Assistance Act provides many rights to homeless children and
their families (and many responsibilities for school districts). We reformatted
the law so it is easy to read, print, and distribute to school district
personnel, social service agencies, mental health providers, shelters,
and child advocates who are responsible for these children. Please
Help! If you live in an area that is experiencing an increase
in homeless children, please print
and distribute this publication so that schools, agencies, and advocates
are knowledgeable about these rights and responsibilities. 4. IDEA 2004 & NCLB Training: St. Clairsville, OH / Wheeling, WV (Sept 16) IDEA 2004 & NCLB by Wayne Steedman is a 6 hour program about key provisions of IDEA 2004 & No Child Left Behind. You will learn about new legal requirements for evaluations, parental consent and IEPs, new procedural requirements, and how to use No Child Left Behind to advocate for a child with a disability. The registration fee includes the course book, Wrightslaw: IDEA 2004 (retail value: $14.95), continental breakfast, and lunch. You will also receive a complimentary copy of 10 Tips: How to Use IDEA 2004 to Improve Education for Children with Disabilities by Wayne Steedman. Agenda. Download & distribute conference brochure and registration form IDEA 2004 & NCLB Training in St. Clairsville OH / Wheeling, WV - Learn about logistics, registration, CLEs and CEUs, accommodations. Wrightslaw Legal and Advocacy Training Programs Wrightslaw
Special Education Law & Advocacy Programs are designed to meet
the needs of parents, educators, health care providers, advocates, and
attorneys who represent children with disabilities. Our goal is provide
individuals with the knowledge and skills to advocate effectively for
children with disabilities. 5. Ways to Help After Katrina Ways
to Help After Katrina
is an incredibly comprehensive source of information for survivors of
Hurricane Katrina -- and for those who want to help. Ways
to Help After Katrina includes links to disaster relief information
of all kinds - how to register with FEMA, information on finding loved
ones, housing, donations, how to volunteer, schooling /homeschooling,
and animal rescue. There is a section with Houston-specific information.
Our thanks to Meredith Warshaw of the Uniquely Gifted site for updating the information on Ways to Help After Katrina several times a day. 6. Katrina Disaster Relief for People with Disabilities - and People Who Want to Help Them Katrina
Disability Info is a treasure trove of information for everyone, not
just those with special needs. The site has information for people with
disabilities and those who want to help them. 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.
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