Wrightslaw Special Education & Advocacy Conference, Grand Rapids, MI (March 27, 2010)

Wrightslaw programs are designed to meet the needs of parents, educators, health care providers, advocates and attorneys who represent children with disabilities regarding special education. The program is not disability specific.

8:00-9:00	Registration
9:00-10:30	Introductions IDEA History and Overview Section 1400 Findings, Purpose Section 1401 Definitions: Special Education, Related Services, LD, etc.
10:30-10:45	Break
10:45-12:00	Section 1412 Extended School Year, Child Find, Least Restrictive Environment/Mainstreaming/Inclusion, Private Placements, Statewide Assessments Understanding Tests and Measurements, and the Bell Curve, Standard Scores, Scale Scores, % ranks, Grade Equivalent, Age Equivalent
12:00-1:00	Lunch
1:00-2:30	Section 1414 Evaluations and IEPs Section 1415 Prior Written Notice, Procedural Safeguards Notice, Mediation, Due Process Hearing, Appeal, Discipline, Age of Majority Section 504, ADA, FERPA NCLB No Child Left Behind Litigation: Special Ed Caselaw S.M.A.R.T. IEPs Special Ed Advocacy for the Parent, Advocate, and Parent’s Attorney Legal, systemic and “school culture” obstacles to compliance with IDEA-04 The Parent as the Special Ed Manager and Expert Developing the Master Plan Knowing the Rules of the Game Recognizing and Avoiding the Fatal Obstacles How to Deal with Conflict, a Healthy and Normal event Crisis, Emergency, Help Organization of the Child’s File
2:30-2:45	Break
2:45-4:00	Tactics and Strategies Rule of Adverse Assumptions Private Evaluations Paper Trails The Letter to the Stranger 5 Ws + H + E Preparation for Meetings Meeting Strategies
4:00-4:30	Questions and Answers

Registration

Registration Fees
On or Before Dec. 31, 2009

January 1, 2010

Individual
$75

$100

* Couple
$125

$150

Educator - CEU's included
$85

$110

* Couples receive one set of books. The couples pricing option is designed to support families by offering a reduced price to married couples or partners raising a child with disabilities. If you do not fit this description, please register as an individual or educator.

Registration fee includes box lunch. Registrants will also receive two books Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition and Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition.

Download and share the brochure.

Click here to register online.

Credits: .6 CEU's (continuing education units) have been approved for this conference.

Cancellation Policy: Attendee cancellations must be made in writing and postmarked by March 15, 2010. Cancellations before March 15 will be assessed a $25 processing fee. We will not make any refunds to cancellations after March 15, 2010. Refunds will be processed within 4 weeks after the conference.

Conference cancellation due to weather or unforeseen circumstances - conference will be rescheduled and all registrations honored at the future event. We do not guarantee location of the event other than a Saturday conference in the Grand Rapids area sometime in 2010. If the conference is not rescheduled in 2010, attendees will get a 70% refund.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Hendrick by telephone 616-395-3222 or by email.

Directions

From Detroit/Lansing: take I-96 West to I-196 West (Gerald R. Ford Freeway) to the Ottawa Street exit #77. Follow Ottawa Street and continue to Fulton Street. Turn right at Fulton Street, Continue for one block, passing beyond the US-131 overpass to our campus. Detroit is approximately 158 miles from the Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus and Lansing is approximately 67 miles from here.

From Kalamazoo: take US-131 North to the Pearl Street Exit, #85B. Turn left onto Pearl Street and proceed one block beyond the US-131 overpass to our campus. Kalamazoo is approximately 50 miles from our Grand Rapids Campus.

From Northern Michigan: take US-131 south to the Pearl Street exit, #85B. Turn right on Pearl Street for one block to the Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus. Traverse City is approximately 139 miles from the Grand Rapids Campus.

From Chicago: take I-94 East to I-196/US-31 (Exit 34) at Benton Harbor. Take I-196 toward Grand Rapids to US-131 south. Take US-131 south to Pearl Street exit (keep to the right of the on-ramp to US-131 as this becomes the off-ramp for Pearl Street). Turn right on Pearl Street for one block to the Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus. Approximately 176 miles from Chicago.

Click here for MapQuest.

PLEASE NOTE: Michigan is in the Eastern time zone.

Parking

Click here for a map of campus parking.

Click here for the layout of the Eberhard Center's Second Floor.

Airports

Gerald R. Ford Airport (GRR)
(approximately 30 minutes to the Eberhard Center)

We built the Michigan Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities so people can get reliable information and support.

The State Yellow Pages has many useful resources - evaluators, educational consultants, academic tutors, support groups, grassroots organizations, advocates, attorneys and others who help parents get services for their children.

If you provide a service, sign up to be listed on the Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities - this is a free service from Wrightslaw.


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