Are you the parent of a child with a disability who is looking for information to help you fight for an appropriate education for your child? Would you like to learn 5 easy to use parenting tips that may be used by any parents. This article will discuss 5 practical and easy to use tips that are used by many special education attorneys, advocates and parents. Advocacy involves learning about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and learning specific skills, to help you fight for an appropriate education for your child. The following are the 5 easy parenting tips:
Tip 1: Do not have verbal discussions with special education personnel about important issues that pertain to your child's education. You should limit phone calls to minor issues (sickness, lunch, etc)only.
Tip 2: Any issue regarding your child's education should be handled in writing. Write letters whenever you need to, and don't forget to keep a copy. Letters can be used as documentation in a due process hearing, recollection of verbal conversations can not.
Tip 3: Letters to disability educators need to be hand delivered or sent by the post office certified with a return receipt. If you hand deliver the letter to the school, the secretary can put it in the person's school mailbox. Certified mail does cost a little bit, but it requires someone to sign that they received the letter. You will get the card back, and be sure to save it for any future need.
Tip 4: Save any important notes that come home from special education personnel, copies of answers to letters received, daily behavior sheets, suspension notices, samples of your child's school work (make sure that they are dated), copies of district and state wide testing. You may need these in the future if a dispute arises between you and school personnel.
Tip 5: Put all of the above documentation, as well as letters to and from disability educators in a large three ring binder. Older items are put in the back, and newer items go on top of the older items. This way when you open the binder the new items are on the top.
By using these easy tips, you will be well on your way to becoming an effective advocate for your child. Remember you are the only advocate that your child has!
JoAnn Collins is the parent of two adults with disabilities, has been an educational advocate for over 15 years, an author, as well as a speaker. JoAnn teaches parents advocacy skills to overcome disability educator’s deceptions, and help their child receive an appropriate education. The recently released book: Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game helps parents develop skills to be an assertive and persistentadvocate for their child.For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight"send an E mail to JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com.
Check out her Web site at:www.disabilitydeception.com. Can be reached at: Phone number 815-932-9263