Success Story: How We Got an Appropriate Education and Avoided Due Process
I wanted to let you know about the difference you are making in the lives of children with disabilities.
After struggling with our school district for over a year to provide services to my child without success, I knew I had to educate myself on the law. 
First, I read Wrightslaw: Special Education Law so I would know the “facts”. Then, I got MAD at the school district when I realized that the “facts” told me they were not following federal law.
Then, I read From Emotions to Advocacy and quit being mad and starting planning my strategies.
It worked! My child was placed on an IEP and I was SO HAPPY – at first.
Then, I attended one of your training seminars and not only LEARNED how to use the bell curve but also UNDERSTOOD the significance of the bell curve.
This eye opener was SO PROFOUND that I broke into tears when I realized that my disabled child wasn’t really making any progress at all. In fact, she had REGRESSED during a two year period in which the school stated she was making “adequate progress.”
Within 10 days of your seminar, I filed for due process. I was prepared because you told me to BE PREPARED in your books and I listened and followed your advice.
The good news is, we never had to go through due process because the school district was NOW willing to come to the IEP table to resolve this matter.
Had I not had the knowledge to present the facts to the school district, they would never have come to the IEP table.
Because you educated me, my daughter now has “a free and APPROPRIATE education.”
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Wonderful news, but can someone please respond about another grossly under-served student population – profoundly gifted children? I raised one and it was painful & isolating for both of us. This is not an “elitist” complaint – these children are on just as tiny a piece of the Bell Curve as the severely learning disabled, but PGs don’t get the specialized attention they need. They have a hunger to learn like any child, but they don’t get fed in school. Traditional school was crushing my son – I had to home school him. I watched the happy light go out of his eyes after he started school. I still wake up in tears about it sometimes. I’m starting grad school in March toward getting credentials to help people listen to me as I advocate for PG children, but can’t make the necessary difference alone. These children need Wrightslaw’s help, too!!
Donna – We often hear from parents who have gifted kids and share your concerns. Because we had so many questions from parents whose kids are gifted but also have a disability, we built a page of resources and information about “twice exceptional” children. https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/2e.index.htm
You may also be interested in the information and comments in this article “How Can I Fight for a Gifted Child?”
Good luck in grad school and thanks for caring about the kids.
I love to hear educational success stories. When we started our journey, the success stories that we were hearing were about kids with Special needs getting a part time job after graduating high school.
The landscape seems to be changing to include college and/or careers being a reality after high school.