Special Needs Advocacy Resource

Rich Weinfeld is a national leader in the education of gifted children with learning difficulties. Weinfeld was instrumental in coordinating the Montgomery County, MD, gifted and learning-disabled program and is currently an educational advocate in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.Michelle Davis is a special educator with more than a decade of experience advocating for students with learning, attention, and behavior disorders. A skilled advocate who seeks to secure school services that prepare children for success in life, she is the director of ABCs for Life Success, LLC, a Washington, DC, area educational consulting firm specializing in serving students with special needs.

This is a hot book! The information is important and valid and can be a balm for hurting, troubled families. It is written to encourage individuals to communicate with schools in respectful, patient ways. It is a treasure map through the school structure and legalese of special education language. Parents of gifted children who have learning or emotional problems in school will especially need this advice, because their children can hide their problems more cleverly.,Elaine S Wiener,Gifted Education Communicator, 8/1/08Most schools are not equipped to deal with the special educational needs of many children—and Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book: What You Can Do Now to Advocate for Your Exceptional Child's Education is a handbook for both educators and parents to help them do everything they need to ensure that every child receives the proper education they need. With a complete and comprehensive guide to help parents and educators navigate the bureaucracy of the modern education system, and covering all topics that could come up in the process, Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book: What You Can Do Now to Advocate for Your Exceptional Child's Education is highly recommended for community library education collections, and for anyone concerned about their child's special educational needs.,James A Cox,Midwest Book Review, 6/18/08The Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book is an excellent resource for families and educators interested in developing advocacy skills. Using a common sense approach, it provides the reader with crucial information about laws related to special and gifted education, classroom evaluation practices, and key insights into how advocates, families, and educators can develop positive working relationships focused on children's needs.,Patti Ralabate,Senior Policy Analyst, 1/1/09

• Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 Why Is It Important That We Advocate for Students? Chapter 2 What Do Effective Advocates Do? Chapter 3 What Does an Advocate Need to Know About Outstanding Classrooms or Educational Programs? Chapter 4 What Does an Advocate Need to Know About the Law? Chapter 5 What Does an Advocate Need to Know About the IEP Process? Chapter 6 What Does an Advocate Need to Know About Evaluating a Child’s Strengths and Needs? Chapter 7 What Does an Advocate Need to Know to Work Effectively With the Parents and Family? Chapter 8 What Does an Advocate Need to Know About the School System, School, and Classroom? Chapter 9 What Does an Advocate Need to Know About Educational Options Beyond the Standard Public School Offerings? Chapter 10 What Does an Advocate Need to Know About the Dynamics of School Meetings? Chapter 11 What Does an Advocate Do to Ensure Effective Implementation and Evaluate Efficacy of Individual Student Plans? Chapter 12 How Can Parents Organize Into Groups and Effectively Advocate for Their Children? Conclusion Glossary References About the Authors