In This Issue . . .

• Raising the Bar: Educational Outcomes
• Game Plan for SMART IEPs
• How Can I Get an Appropriate Program?
• SMART IEPs for Behavior Problems

Circulation: 80,086
ISSN: 1538-320
May 11, 2010

You know your child's unique needs and what you want him to learn and achieve during the academic year. What's next?

You can help your child get and stay on the right path by designing a SMART IEP with SMART goals.

In this issue of the Special Ed Advocate, you'll learn how to use IDEA to improve educational outcomes for your child. You will also find an IEP Game Plan that will describe how to create SMART IEPs, step-by-step.

Previous issues in the series What You Need to Know About IEPs featured:

• Your Role as a Parent
• Legal Requirements of IEPs
• Answers to Your IEP FAQs

Please don't hesitate to forward this issue to other friends, families, or colleagues.

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Raising the Bar for Educational Outcomes

When you read the Findings and Purposes of IDEA 2004, you will see that Congress raised the bar when they added “further education” to the Purposes of IDEA 2004. Congress established a new outcome for special education, an outcome that had never been identified before.

Attorney Wayne Steedman gives us 10 Tips on How to Use IDEA 2004 to Improve Your Child's Special Education Program.

Your Game Plan for SMART IEPs

Your Game Plan includes three elements. To get the services your child needs you need to learn about:

• test scores
• SMART IEPs
• how to use advocacy strategies

Read Chapter 12 about SMART IEPs in Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd edition by Pam & Pete Wright. You may also download a free copy of the chapter about SMART IEPs from Wrightslaw for your personal use.

How Can I Get an Appropriate Program?

IDEA 2004 places schools under increased pressure to use educational programs that work - programs that have a track record of success.

Read one parent's journey from emotions to advocacy as she learns to negotiate for the services her son needs. How Can I Get the School to Provide an Appropriate Program?

SMART IEPs for Behavior Problems

The SMART process is the same for any goal - academic or behavioral.You need to clearly define the target behavior. Gather baseline data on the behavior before developing specific measurable goals.

SMART IEPs include "R"ealistic and "M"easurable Goals. You make behavior measurable by defining the factors surrounding the behavior. Learn more in How Can I Develop SMART IEP Goals for Behavior Problems.

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