Wrightslaw

Highlights: New parent advocacy page; two new articles about advocacy, "Ask the Right Questions" and "Assertiveness;" looking for success stories.

Subscribers as July 29, 2001: 27,685

---

1. New Parent Advocacy Page

Good special education services are intensive and expensive. Resources are limited. If you have a child with special needs, you may wind up battling the school district for the services your child needs.

To prevail, you need information, skills, and tools. Visit our new Parent Advocacy Page and learn how to anticipate problems, manage conflict, and avoid crises.

On the Parent Advocacy page, information is divided into categories. Here is a sample of what you will find:

* Introductory Articles *

Advocating for Your Child - Getting Started Wrightslaw Game Plan for New Parents
How Can I Find an Advocate? An Attorney? Understanding the Playing Field

* Tactics & Strategies *

Learning to Negotiate is Part of the Process
How to Prepare for a Due Process Hearing
Representing the Special Ed Child: Manual for the Attorney & Lay Advocate

* Legal Decisions About Parent Advocacy *

* Wrightslaw Publications *

* Getting Help *

* Free Publications *

To learn about advocacy, visit our new Parent Advocacy Page

---

2. Strategies for Success: Ask the Right Questions

"When I began to advocate for my daughter, I felt insecure when I requested services or supports for her."

"Because I felt insecure, I supported my requests with lots of documentation --articles, reports and recommendations from experts, test results, and information about specialized equipment. I was calm, polite, and in control."

"I was surprised to find that the "powers that be" would not provide the services and supports that I requested for my daughter."

If you are battling the school about services for your child, you need to read this article! Learn about perceptions, "Know-it-all Parents", and simple strategies you can use to improve your relationship with school personnel -- and get services for your child.

https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/advo.parent.askqs.htm

---

3. Assertiveness & Effective Advocacy

Short article by Marie Sherrett, parent of child with autism, about the joys and challenges of parent advocacy. What categories do you fall into? Learn what you can do to be a more effective advocate.

https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/advo.parent.sherrett.htm

---

4. Do you have a Success Story?

Do you have a success story or advocacy strategy that you want to share? We are collecting stories about successful advocacy. Some stories will be posted on Wrightslaw, others will be posted on our new parent advocacy site.

https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/advo.success.stories.htm

---

Subscription Information

The Special Ed Advocate is a free online newsletter about special education legal and advocacy issues, cases, tactics and strategy, and Internet resources.

Subscribers receive announcements and "alerts" about new cases, events, and special offers on Wrightslaw books.

To subscribe

Read Back issues of the Special Ed Advocate

LINK TO US. Nearly 1,000 sites link to Wrightslaw. If you want to spread the word about special education advocacy, download a banner or image: