19 February Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 10:00 am - 2:00pm
Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton, CT | Get Directions »
For parents advocating for their child's IEP
Hour 1: Meet & Greet
Hour 1: Getting Started
In "Getting Started," you will learn:
•Basic advocacy skills
•Supplies you need to get started
•How to develop a master plan for your child's education
Hour 2: Advocacy 101
In "Advocacy 101," you will learn about:
•Schools as bureaucracies and the rules of the game
•Obstacles to success - school culture, myths, gatekeepers, and emotions
•Common causes of conflict
•Steps you can take to prevent or resolve problems
•Events that trigger parent-school crises
Hour 2: The Parent as Expert
In "The Parent as Expert," you will learn:
Why you must become an expert about your child's disability and educational needs
•How to organize your child's file, step by step
•How to use information from evaluations to understand your child's disability
•How to use test scores to monitor and measure your child's progress
•How to write SMART IEP goals and objectives
Hour 3: Special Education Law
In "Special Education Law," you will learn about:
•The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004)
•Findings and purposes of the IDEA
•Definitions in the IDEA
•Extended school year (ESY), child find, least restrictive environment (LRE), private placements, statewide assessments
•Requirements for identifying children with specific learning disabilities - Discrepancy Formulas and Response to Intervention (RTI)
•Evaluations, eligibility, IEPs, and placement
•Prior written notice, procedural safeguards, mediation, due process hearings, appeals, discipline, and age of majority
•Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
•The No Child Left Behind Act and implications for children with disabilities
Hour 4: Tactics and Strategies
In "Tactics and Strategies," you will learn about:
•"The Rules of Adverse Assumptions"; first impressions; image and presentation
•How to use logs, calendars, and journals to create paper trails
•How to write effective letters (includes sample letters)
•How to write a persuasive "Letter to the Stranger" (includes sample letters)
•How to use IEP worksheets, parent agendas, visual aids & graphs of progress or lack of progress (includes sample worksheets and agendas)
•Roles of experts; how to use an expert to help develop an appropriate educational program
•Pros and cons of recording meetings; strategies
$79.00 (includes book) - Bring snacks and a brown bag lunch
REGISTRATION CLOSES FEBRUARY 8 (ONLY 5 SEATS AVAILABLE)
For additional information visit: www.advocatewithfaith.com
