Advocacy Checklist




	ADVOCACY CHECKLIST EMERGENCY! CRISIS! HELP! Written for Parent Advocates of Students with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder Adapted from The Parent/Advocate: First Steps A Special Education Attorney's First Response To The Parent's Initial Frantic Telephone Call Peter W. D. Wright, Attorney at law P. O. Box 1008 Deltaville, VA 23043 Phone: 804-257-0857 http://www.wrightslaw.com Edited by Janie Bowman janie@brightword.com http://www.brightword.com Updated May 2007 This pamphlet may be copied and distributed without modification by individuals for personal use and nonprofit agencies. If you are a parent with a child with attention or learning differences, it is vitally important that you lean everything you can about your child’s special needs and legal rights. This will aid you in working with the school to provide your child with an appropriate educational program. In a crisis, parents often experience anger, guilt, confusion, frustration and helplessness. The key to success in obtaining a successful educational program for your child, whether you initiate special education litigation or not, is Preparation, Preparation, & more Preparation! Civil cases that are well-prepared for trial are usually settled and rarely, actually go to trial. "The issues are the same -- only the names and dates change." A crisis can hit without warning! How do you prepare? Join several organizations in order to receive their national, state and local newsletters. Read about and understand the law. Know how to write an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) and become an expert in the global nature of your child's abilities, disabilities, the law, IEP's, tests & measurements. DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR? "We don't recognize your private sector evaluation that identifies your child as needing special education services..." "Your child's real problems lie within a dysfunctional family. Besides, he's just not motivated..." "The services your child needs are simply not available at our school..." "Your child is not benefiting from the program and doesn't really need it anyway..." "Your child's true problem is that he's emotionally disturbed, not learning disabled..." KNOWLEDGE *equals* EMPOWERMENT *equals* SUCCESS! DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! Including all written correspondence and telephone calls. WHERE DO I BEGIN? [ ] Call the national organizations listed and request membership and publication material. [ ] Call your state and local educational departments and advocacy/support groups and request information that they have available. A list of government programs, grassroots organizations, and parent support groups is available through the Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities. [ ] Request copies of your child's entire cumulative and confidential files from the Special Education Department of your local school district and from all other public or private agencies that may have information on your child. Arrange in chronological order in a loose-leaf notebook. Date each document lightly, in pencil, in the lower right-hand corner. [ ] Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) (PA) (412) 341-1515 [ ] State LDA Office [ ] International Dyslexia Society (MD) 1-800-222-3123 [ ] Branch Office [ ] National Center for Learning Disabilities (NY) (212) 545-7510 [ ] CH.A.D.D. (Children & Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders) CH.A.D.D. 8181 Professional Place, Suite 150 Landover, MD 20785 301-306-7070 1-800-233-4050 [ ] Local Chapter [ ] Federation for Children with Special Needs 1135 Tremont Street, Suite 420 Boston, MA 02120 (617) 236-7210 \| (800) 331-0688 (in MA) Fax (617) 572-2094 fcsninfo@fcsn.org [ ] Parent Training and Information Centers (800) 248-0822 [ ] Regional Technical Assistance Centers [ ] American Council on Education - Higher Education [ ] NICHCY (National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (Washington, D.C.) 1-800-695-0285 [ ] Office for Civil Rights [ ] Local School [ ] School Psychologist [ ] Other school personnel [ ] Superintendent [ ] State Superintendent [ ] State Special Education Department [ ] Other [ ] Local Special Education Attorney RESOURCES [ ] Check with your nearby law school library for Individuals with Disabilities Education Law Reporter (IDELR) published by LRP [ ] Read Your Child's IEP: Practical and Legal Guidance for Parents written by Pamela Darr Wright [ ] Purchase: Understanding Learning Disabilities: A Parent Guide and Workbook from the Learning Disabilities Council, P.O. Box 8451, Richmond, VA. 23226 (804) 748-5012 BOOKS Check with your local public library or support group. [ ] The Misunderstood Child by Larry Silver, M.D. (recent, revised edition) [ ] Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception by Thom Hartmann [ ] Something's Wrong with My Child by Richardson, Brutten & Mangel. [ ] Attention Deficit Disorder in Adults by Lynn Weiss, Ph.D. [ ] Driven to Distraction by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. & John J. Ratey, M.D. [ ] No Easy Answers and [ ] Succeeding Against the Odds by Sally Smith ONLINE RESOURCES LD Online