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January 2, 2008 - FAPE FAQs: Who's Responsible for Providing FAPE? What is a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)?; Who is Responsible for Providing FAPE?; What Should I DO when Goals & Objectives are Too Vague?; How Do I Document my Concerns when I Disagree with the IEP Team?; What Should I Do to Follow Up?; The Rules of Adverse Assumptions.

January 8, 2008 - 2007 Progress Report...and A Thank You Note. 2007 Progress Report: Top 10 Articles; Top 10 Topics; Top 10 Cases; Smart Kids with LD Youth Achievement Award.

January 15, 2008 - Resolutions: Losing Weight & Writing SMART IEPs. Your SMART Weight Loss Program; Wrightslaw Game Plan: SMART IEPs; Practice Session: SMART Goals; IEP Caselaw: What Courts Say about IEPs.

January 29, 2008 - "My IQ is 95 - I got an A!" What Do Your Child's Test Scores Mean? What is you Bell Curve IQ?; Tests & Measurements for the Parent, Teacher, Advocate & Attorney; Coming Soon! Wrightslaw WebEx Training on Tests and Measurements.

February 5, 2008 - Cold Hard Numbers & Successful IEP Meetings. Cold Hard Numbers and a Successful IEP Meeting; Success Story: The Numbers Do Not Lie; Using Test Scores to Determine Eligibility; Coming Soon! Understanding Your Child's Test Scores.

February 12, 2008 - We Need Your Help! Its Time to Design the Blog. You asked! We listened! Here comes the Wrightslaw Blog. T his year Wrightslaw will enter the blogosphere. In this issue we ask for your help in selecting a design for the blog. Scroll down to view the designs and learn how to cast your vote. You'll find a really special story at the end.

February 19, 2008 - Crisis Management & Long-Term Planning: How to Disagree with the School. Help! Events That Trigger a Crisis; The 3 "P"s of Resolving Disputes; Wrightslaw Prevention Model of Special Education Advocacy; How to Disagree with the IEPs Team...Without Starting WWIII; Training Advocates: Partners in Policymaking.

February 26, 2008 - Keeping Good Records: How to Create a Paper Trail. Train Yourself to Write Things Down; If It Wasn't Written Down, It Was NOT Said; Using the Problem Report to Resolve Problems; Using Simple Low-Tech Tools to Create Paper Trails; Writing a "Letter to a Stranger".

March 4, 2008 - Transition & Planning for the Future: Choosing a School, Finding Financial Aid. Comparing Schools: What's Right for You?; Know Your Rights and Responsibilities; Wrightslaw Comes to California on March 19; "I Can't Afford College' and other Financial Aid Myths; Free Help! Free Pubs.

March 10, 2008 - Alert! Appeals Court Upholds Award of Four years of Compensatory Ed. Jarron Draper v. Atlanta Independent School District; What is the Significance of Draper; "A Lesser Spirit Would Have Been Crushed Years Ago".

March 18, 2008 - Life After High School: Self-Advocacy; Section 504 & Accommodations for College. Life After High School: AKA "Flying the Nest"; Section 504 Follows the Child, IDEA Does Not; Self-Advocacy: Know Yourself, Know What You Need, Know How to Get It; Do Colleges Have to Provided Accommodations for Students with Disabilities?; Success Stories: Embracing Self-Sufficiency.

March 25, 2008 - Special Education FAQs: Quick Picks. Answers to your most frequently asked questions about Advocates & Advocacy; Behavior & Discipline: Reading: Evaluations & Test Scores: Wrightslaw "Spring Training" Schedule.

April 1, 2008 - Response to Intervention: A Better Approach? Specific Learning Disabilities: Discrepancy & Response to Intervention (RTI) Models; RTI: Guidelines for Parents & Practitioners by James Hale, Ph.D.; A Solution? The Rise of RTI; Limitations of RTI; Defining and Identifying Learning Disabilities.

April 8, 2008 - Master of Deception: Dealing with Homework Refusal & Failure. Problem: Homework Refusal and Failure; Dealing With More Than One Issue; Does Your Child Have an Undiagnosed Disability?; Resolving Social and Emotional Problems; Coming Soon! Legal Requirements for IEPs; What are the Odds that Your Child Will Graduate or Dropout? Cool Tool: Mapping educational statistics.

April 9, 2008 - Alert! New! Wrightslaw WebEx Training Series CD-ROM. Legal Requirements of IEPS. Instructors Pete and Pam Wright explain the Legal Requirements of IEPS to you in clear, no-nonsense language.

April 15, 2008 - A Closer Look at IEPs: What You NEED to Know! Child Isn't Learning - What Can I Ask the School to Do?; IEPs for Children with Behavior Problems; IEP Team Members and IEP Team Attendance; IEP Tips: What to Do at an IEP Meeting; Introduce Your Child to the IEP Team, a video presentation.

April 21, 2008 - Alert! Civil Rights Case: Discrimination and Retaliation. Violation of Civil Rights; Violation of Civil Rights: Discrimination Under Section 504; Violation of Civil Rights: Retaliation Against Jarron and his Family; Advice for Filing Due Process under IDEA if Civil Rights Claims by Wyner and Tiffany; Jarron Draper v. Atlanta Public Schools: Background & Decisions.

April 23, 2008 - A Closer Look at IEPs: Answers to Your IEP FAQs. Who IS Responsible for Providing an Appropriate IEP?; Why, When, and How Can I Get My IEP Revised?; Training for Parents and Teachers - A Key to Success in IEPs; Even More IEP FAQs; Free Pubs: A Model Form for the IEP - and more.

April 29, 2008 - A Closer Look at IEPs: Advocacy Strategies, Tips, & Tools. Parent IEP Attachment: A Simple, But Powerful Tool; Playing 20 Questions with the Devil; What To Do When School Officials Don't Respond; Can the IEP Team Prepare a "Draft IEP" Before an IEP Meeting?; Preparing for School Meetings: Use a Parent Agenda; IEP Caselaw: Knable v. Bexley City Sch. District.

May 1, 2008 - Alert! Call To Action on IDEA Fairness Act (H.R. 4188) Tuesday May 6. Call-in Day; Your Game Plan: Call or Meet with Your Representative's Office; Why the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act (H.R. 4188) is Important to Parents; Why the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act Matters; Phone Tips; Learn More About the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act.

May 6, 2008 - New! The Wrightslaw Way, IDEA Call in Day, Celebrating our 10th Anniversary. Remember the Blog Contest? The Winner?; The Wrightslaw Way to Special Education Law and Advocacy; Call to Action Today, May 6 - IDEA Fairness Day; Attention: Virginia Parents & Advocates; Wrightslaw Celebrates 10 Years of Excellence.

May 13, 2008 - A Closer Look at IEPs: SMART Goals and SMART IEPs. Where is Your Child FUnctioning Now?; Where Do You Want Your Child to Go? SMART IEP Goals; How to Get There: Your Game Plan; How to Make it Happen: Use Tactics and Strategies; The Wrightslaw Way Blog.

May 20, 2008 - A Closer Look at IEPs: ESY, Transition and Changing Schools. Transition Planning and your Child's IEP; How I Got ESY Services After the School Said "NO!"; What IDEA 2004 Says about Changing Schools and IEPS; Read This Article Before You Ask for a Paraprofessional; The Wrightslaw Way: A Special Online Community.

May 28, 2008 - Supporting Our Military Families: Cell Phones for Soldiers & Summer Camps. Salute to Young Heroes: Brittany and Robbie Bergquist; Wrightslaw Joins Cell Phones for Soldiers Family; Update on HR 5658: Cost-Share Limit Doubles for Military Dependent Children with Autism; Free Summer Camp for Military Kids.

June 3, 2008 - 10 Tips for Parents & Schools: Ending the School Year - Thankfully. 10 Tips for Ending the School Year; 10 Tips for Avoiding Confrontation with Parents; Prevent Burnout: Spread the Cheer!; Need Help? Check the Wrightslaw Helpline.

June 10, 2008 - Strong Decision in Autism Case; Cutting Edge Autism Research. Court Issues Strong Decision on Behalf of a Child with Autism; Parents Have Independent, Enforceable Rights; News: Research Tool Can Detect Autism at 9 Months of Age; Clinical Research on Childhood Behavioral Problems: How You Can Participate.

June 17, 2008 - Milwaukee Rejects Settlement Proposal; Judge Issues New Ruling in Jamie S. v. MPS. Jamie S. v. MPS: Facts of the Case; MPS District Report Cards: Suspension Rates Could Be the Highest in the Country; Judge Rules Full-force in Favor of Settlement; From Emotions to Advocacy: A Parents' Journey; Especially for Dads (Happy Father's Day).

June 24, 2008 - Summer School for Parents: Relax, Re-Evaluate, Prepare for Next Year. Take a Break! Relax, Lighten Up & Laugh!; Re-Evaluate: Look Back & Learn from Mistakes; Assignment #1: The Blame Game; Prepare for Next year: Learn Advocacy Skills; How to Solve Problems and Protect parent-School Relationships.

June 29, 2008 - Alert! Protect Educational Rights in Virginia. The public comment period for Virginia's proposed special ed regulations ends Monday, June 30 at 5 pm. Several regs are harmful and propose to remove parents from educational decision-making for their children. Parents and advocates need to comment now,

July 1, 2008 - Summer School for Parents, Part 2. Review special education, legal and assessment terms; take a quiz; news about service dogs in schools; video of an activity you and your family may participate in this summer.

July 16, 2008 - Summer School for Parents, Part 3 - Mini-course. Don't Rely on the School to Explain Your IDEA Rights & Responsibilities; The Commentary is an Invaluable TOol; Sizing Up State Academic Standards; Advanced Tactics and Strategies; How NOT to be a Yappy Parent.

July 22, 2008 - Summer School for Parents, Part 4 - Skills & Tools, Organizing the File, Keeping Records & Documentation. Are You Ready to Advocate?; It's Time to Tackle Your Child's Special Education File - Do it Right!; Four Rules for Organizing the File; Assignment #4: Create a Document Management System; Put That in Writing, Please!; How I Got the School to Change My Son's Program & Placement.

July 29, 2008 - Summer School for Parents, Part 5 - You CAN Measure Educational Change; You MUST Understand Test Scores. All Important Educational Decisions are Based on Test Scores; Assignment #5: Tests and Measurements; Understanding Your Child's Test Scores; Get a Comprehensive Educational Evaluation from an Independent Evaluator; Find Help in the Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities.

August 12, 2008 - Summer School for Parents, Part 6 - How Far - By When; SMART IEP Goals and Objectives. Roadmap to the IEP: SMART Goals and Objectives; Don't Know Where You're Going? Where Did You Start?; You Cannot Measure Attitude or State of Mind; If Goals are NOT Measurable the IEP Does Not Pass Muster; Assignment #6: Writing SMART Goals.

August 26, 2008 - Summer School for Parents: Congratulations! Your Advocacy Game Plan. Develop a Long Term Plan for your Child; Practice Your Advocacy Skills; Learn More: Special Ed Law & Advocacy Training with Pete & Pam; Take Action: Help Others; Congratulations! from pete & Pam.

Summer School for Parents 2008: Parts 1- 6 and Your Certificate.

September 3, 2008 - Back to School Tips, Creating High Expectations Building Resilience. Teach Your Child to Work Hard: Set High Goals; Building Strength and Resilience; Defeating the First Day Jitters; Ten tips for a Successful School Year; Next Show: Back to School Special; Disability Preparedness Resource Center: Hurricane Gustav Information.

September 9, 2008 - Why Your Child Is Not Entitled to the "Best" Education. What is a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)?; Strike These Terms from Your Vocabulary; Four Lessons for Parents about FAPE; How Can I Get the School to Provide an Appropriate Program?

September 16, 2008 - To Avoid Conflict, Prepare for Conflict: Rules of Adverse Assumptions. Is Your Child Receiving "Meaningful Educational Benefit"?; How to Improve Outcomes for Your Child; What To Do if Your Child's IEP is Not Appropriate; Rules of Adverse Assumptions; New! Free Pub: Legal Rights of Children in the Special Ed Process.

September 23, 2008 - Fav Fives: Topics - Articles - Blog Posts. Top 5 Topics; Top 5 Articles; Top 5 Blog Posts; 5 Free Pubs, 5 Free Newsletters.

September 30, 2008 - 8 Steps to Better IEP Meetings: Play Hearts, Not Poker. Vote Now! in the IEP Poll; Playing Poker at an IEP Meeting Does Not Work for Your Child; We Cannot Lead an IEP Team We Do Not Join; 8 Steps to Better IEP Meetings; Your Child's IEP Should Never Be a Gamble.

October 7, 2008 - How To Prevent Reading Difficulties and Reading Failure. The Nation's Report Card on Reading; How Do We Prevent Reading Difficulties and Reading Failure; Teaching Children to Read - What is the Best Approach; Early Intervention and Prevention.

October 21, 2008 - My Child IS Making Progress: WHY Would the School Switch Reading Programs? Using Programs that are NOT Interchangeable; Wilson Assessment of Coding & Decoding (WADE); Report on Step and Sub-Step Mastery; The Importance of Progress Monitoring; More Reading Resources; Live Debate Tonight: Education and the President.

October 28, 2008 - Special Education FAQs: Quick Picks. Accommodations and Modifications; Section 504 and IDEA; Parent-School Relations and Conflict; Highly Qualified Teachers.

November 4, 2008 - Your State Advisory Panel. The Most Powerful Tool in IDEA 2004; 8 Tips for Talking to Your Child About the Election; Education Roadmap to the 2008 Elections; Election Information You Need; Election Fatique? Check Out Indecision 2008.

November 11, 2008 - Military Family Month: Supporting the Families of Those Who Serve. Be a Hero...To a Hero; Military Family Month, 13th Annual Celebration; HR 3690: Military Family Autism Equality Act; A Lifeline for Military Families; Operation Gratitude.

November 18, 2008 - The 7 "P's" of Effective Advocacy. Begin a Program of Advocacy Self-Study for One Year; Plan and Prepare: Your Advocacy Game Plan; Begin at Step One; Tips, Tactics, and Tools for Effective Advocay; Get in Shape with Wrightslaw; Link Up with Other Advocates.

November 25, 2008 - "Book a Month" Plan from the Advocate's Bookstore. Read One New Book a Month; Select a Topic; Must Reads - The Best Sellers; Classic Selections; New Releases; The Best of Wrightslaw.

December 1, 2008 - Alert! Call to Action! Contact VA Governor Tim Kaine Today to retain essential rights for children & parents, we need a landslide of calls, letters & email - before December 10th

December 2, 2008 -10 Tips for Good Advocates. Indiana Advocate Pat Howey's newest Tips for Good Advocates. You will also be able to link to Pat's answers to advocacy questions and other tips for successful advocacy in her series "Ask the Advocate."

December 9, 2008 - Parent Volunteers are NOT a Substitute for Trained Teachers: *New IDEA Regulations Released by DOE. Write a Letter; Write a Formal Accommodation and Treatment Plan; You May Need to Request an Eligibility Meeting; More Helpful Resources.

December 16, 2008 - Kids with ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, LD - Who IS ELigible for Special Ed? 25% off on All Wrightslaw Products! Sale Ends on 12/21; Does Your Child Meet the Legal Definition of a "Child with a Disability"?; Children Eligible Under OHI and LD; What about Dyslexia?; Eligibility of Children Who May Have Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD).

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