Wrightslaw - The Special Ed Advocate, October11, 2001

Highlights: News about IDEA reauthorization, public hearings; new IDEA 2002 page; FETA is shipping; advocacy challenge discounts.

Subscribers as of Oct 11 2001: 31,164

1. Channel Your Anger - Participate!

In the October 9 issue of The Special Ed Advocate, we advised subscribers that the President had appointed a "Commission for Excellence in Special Education." Several people wrote to express anger and frustration at the failure of the federal government to require states to comply with the IDEA. One reader summed up these feelings:

"If the Bush Administration wants to support the principles of IDEA, the Department of Ed could start by insisting on compliance by the 50 states before focusing on objections from the states about the costs of implementing IDEA! The record is nothing short of a national disgrace and a continuing fraud on the nation's children with special needs."

We agree. What can we do to change the status quo?

One way to change the status quo is to shine a bright light on these issues - and this is what we do. We also provide you with accurate information so you can participate in the decision-making process.

When the National Council on Disability published the IDEA Compliance Report "Back to School on Civil Rights" in January 2000, we published alerts and newsletters about the Report

To make the IDEA Compliance Report available to our subscribers, we spent 50-60 hours reformatting the Report. We added hundreds of hyperlinks to make it easier for you to find information about your state, then published the entire IDEA Compliance Report on the Wrightslaw site.

We devised search tips so you could find information about your state.

We published the NCD Report about IDEA noncompliance on the Legal Resources CD ROM that comes with the Deluxe Edition of Wrightslaw: Special Education Law.

Now we are working to provide you with up-to-date information about the reauthorization process.

2. New IDEA 2002 Page

You know that the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) is scheduled to be reauthorized in 2002. If you are the parent of a child with a disability, you represent your child's interests. You need to stay informed about changes and proposed changes to the law that may affect your child. If you are a special ed service provider, the new law will affect you and your work.

Please visit our new IDEA 2002 Page for news, progress reports, and other information about the reauthorization process.

Get the Executive Order that established the "Commission on Excellence in Special Education" Learn about Members of the Commission.

Participate in Public Hearings. Between October 10-December 19, 2001, the U.S. Dept of Education has scheduled hearings in several cities:

* Salt Lake City, Utah
* Mobile, Alabama
* Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Providence, Rhode Island
* Washington, DC
* San Antonio, Texas

Get the Schedule of Hearings and contact information from

3. From Emotions to Advocacy: Now Shipping

On October 10, Harbor House Law Press shipped out the pre-publication orders for our new book, From Emotions to Advocacy by Priority Mail. If you placed an order between September 25 and October 5, you should receive your book / books within a few days.

If you forgot to order or decided to wait until FETA was available, you can order now. Orders placed by 3 pm are usually shipped the same day.

Place an online order.

Order by fax, phone or mail.

The Advocacy Challenge Discount is a special 50% bulk discount for advocacy and disabilities organizations that purchase boxes of books for their members or to use for training and conference sales. For more information about the Advocacy Challenge Program please visit the Wrightslaw site.

Learn more about From Emotions to Advocacy.

Read Chapter 1.