Special Education – Common Mistakes Parents Make and How to Avoid Them!
Do you wonder about the most common mistakes that parents make in advocating for their child, receiving special education services? Would you like to be an effective advocate for your child with autism, and avoid these mistakes? This article will discuss 5 common mistakes that parents make in advocating for their child and how you can avoid them.
Mistakes:
1. Letting emotions get the best of you! Many parents are unable to control their anger which gets in the way of their advocacy for their child.
2. Forgetting your inner voice! A lot of parents give too much weight to what some special education personnel say, rather than following their instincts.
3. Accepting lies from some special education personnel without challenging them. It is important to have a working knowledge of the federal and state special education laws so that you can recognize when you are being lied to!
4. Using the B word, when trying to get an education for your child! The B word is Best! The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that children have the right to a free appropriate public education; not the best.
5. Allowing special education personnel to continue year after year of not giving your child an appropriate education. Your child’s life will be ruined if you do not advocate every year for the education that they need.
How to avoid these common mistakes:
1. If you are in an IEP meeting and find yourself getting angry ask for a break. Remember that the first person that loses their cool usually loses the fight. Stay calm no matter what! Find other parents that you can talk about your experiences with, this will help you keep focus and calm!
2. Always trust your instincts. If special education personnel are telling you something about your child that you does not seem right to you, start investigating. Possibly get an independent evaluation to help you determine if the school is being truthful!
3. If school personnel say something to you that does not sound right say: Show me in the federal or state special education laws where it says that you are allowed to do this! Always stand up to them in an assertive and persistent way, for the good of your child.
4. Always use the word appropriate, not best when advocating for your child.
5. If your school district refuses to give your child the special education services they need, consider an independent evaluation. If the independent evaluator states that your child needs the service, but the school district still refuses consider filing a state complaint or for a due process hearing Most special education personnel will continue denying services if the parent does not stand up to them.
If you follow these 5 things to avoid you will well be on your way to being an effective advocate for your child.
Continuing Education
The most successful Internet businesspeople know the value of continuing education. For many, the term “continuing education” brings to mind college classrooms and long bookstore lines. However, the wisest Internet entrepreneurs see education in their everyday lives. They learn from their mistakes, draw on the success of others, and rely heavily on those around them.
Learn, Don’t Blame
Unsuccessful people will blame everyone else for their lack of failure instead of taking a harder look at themselves and their own methodology. “Internet millionaires learn a lesson from the things that don’t work,” says Matt Bacak, a successful Internet entrepreneur who coaches others in business and marketing strategy. “They use that education to better their efforts.” If you want to be successful, you need to turn every loss into a win. Every mistake is an opportunity for education.
Attend Seminars
Business-oriented seminars are held often in nearly ever city in the country. Attending seminars gives you the latest, up-to-date information on what is working for others, what isn’t, and what trends are hottest. They also provide an excellent opportunity for networking with other entrepreneurs.
“I go to a lot of marketing seminars,” Bacak says. “I know that the key to my business is marketing and I know that I can never learn too much. My most valuable learning experiences have come from seminars. If a seminar only gives you one nugget of information, one viable idea, it can make you money. That’s worthwhile.”
Model Success Stories
Why reinvent the wheel? Thousands of successful businesspeople have come before you, and they have a wealth of knowledge to impart. “Internet millionaires model other Internet millionaires,” says Bacak. “They apply the approaches of those they admire to their own products.” Tried and true techniques already exist. The smartest entrepreneurs are those who aren’t closed off to the methods of others. By buying products or subscribing to newsletters published by businesspeople who already have a proven record of success, you can learn to adapt your own methods to model theirs.
Build a Team
“You can’t do this alone,” says Bacak. “You have to have faith in yourself, and you have to have drive. But you also have to have faith in others.” Bacak says that it is essential to build a solid team around yourself, consisting of peers, friends and family. “Getting rich is a team sport,” he explains. “I did not get to where I am today all by myself.”
Be Prepared – Your Child’s Initial PPT Meeting – Special Education
Many parents have an extra responsibility when it comes to their children’s education. Every year these parents attend their child’s Planning and Placement Team meeting. Any child with a designation within the special education spectrum has one of these meetings every year. These designations include learning and intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, autism, other health impairments (ADD/ADHD, etc) and many others. Attending these meetings can be daunting and intimidating to non-educational members of the team. It doesn’t have to be though. If a parent is prepared for the meeting and knows the ‘drill’ it should be much less difficult.
Annual PPT’s are held every year at the same time. Legally there must be a meeting every year within 365 days and a triennial every 3 years. The triennial is a meeting to determine if a child is still eligible for special education. I am jumping ahead here a little, let’s start at the beginning.
If your child has never had a special education designation, a member of the school community, yourself or your doctor may suggest that your child is tested to determine if he or she needs extra support. Sometimes it is obvious (your child may have autism, down’s syndrome, or a physical disability) and other times additional testing needs to be completed to determine eligibility.
The first step is for you or school personnel to start the process. If you initiate the process (through a written letter – example to be shown) the school must hold an initial meeting called a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting. At this meeting a number of individuals may be present. This will include a building administrator, special education teacher, a regular education teacher, the school psychologist, guidance counselor, school nurse, transition coordinator and anyone else deemed necessary. Your child’s strengths and weaknesses will be discussed and you will be asked for your input and what your concerns are. You must also sign a permission to test form. Withholding permission will stop the process. The school district may determine that legal mediation is necessary at this time. A multi-disciplinary will be conducted to determine eligibility and must be completed within 45 of the initiation of services. Therefore, a full evaluation must be completed from the date the school receives your letter (or is internally referred by school personnel) within 45 school days. Weekends and vacations do not count. At the 2nd meeting it will be determined whether or not your child qualifies for special education services. For placement in special education, you must give your written consent. This can be withdrawn but you should seek the advice of an educational lawyer or advocate if you plan to do this. If it is determined that your child does not qualify for special education services, ask about a qualification under a 504 designation. You can disagree with any of the decisions made and have it noted in the Individual Education Plan (IEP). The IEP is the map that school personnel will use to guide them in servicing your child’s educational needs. You also have the option of disputing your position through the courts. The school district I work in tries to work with parents and avoid this altogether. If you win your case, the school district must pay your legal bills. It is suggested that you bring another individual with you (spouse, friend, pastor) for positive support. You should write down the concerns you have: strengths, what your child needs the most help with, goals that you want your child to succeed. If you child will be transitioning from high school to college or the world of work, a transition plan must be developed as well. Be prepared to discuss what you see for your child. Your teen will also be at this meeting (starts attending around 8th grade) and be asked what their interests and dreams are. You can help him or her in discussing this beforehand. Standardized testing will be discussed and it will be determined whether your child needs extra time, special setting or a reader (or any other number of accommodations). A modification page will be in the Individual Education Plan; you should ask for a copy of this page and make suggestions that you think are necessary for your child to succeed without enabling him/her. The number of hours your child will be serviced by special education personnel, counseling staff, etc. will be determined. Goals and objectives will be written for any areas that your child needs additional help in. This can include reading, math, writing, general academics, behavior, self-help skills, communication and other areas as necessary. Make sure to ask questions if you have them and get the name and number of at least one member of the team that you can talk to if you have any concerns or questions about your child, the IEP or PPT meeting. IEP’s generally go into effect 5 days after the meeting or sooner if agreed to by the team. The school is obligated to get you a copy of the IEP within 5 days of the PPT meeting. Any questions you have (or disagreements with the plan) should be directed to a member of the team (usually a special education teacher or administrator). Relax, relax, relax. The more often you attend PPT’s the more comfortable and knowledgeable you will become.