The Rules of Adverse Assumptions in Special Education
Stay organized and document everything
In 2002 when I completed my training at the Federation for Children with Special Needs, I went on enroll in several Wrightslaw trainings that I found extremely valuable and would highly recommend to any parent or advocate looking to gain more understanding of special education law. https://www.wrightslaw.com
Some advice that has stuck with me over the years that I try to pass along to my clients:
Assume that your child’s case will go to a hearing
Assume you will be the one to request the hearing.
Assume members of your child’s team will testify against you, its not personal, this is how school districts are set up, that teachers are afraid to lose their jobs if they say things that will help a parent prevail in a case. Just because something is said to you does not mean you can rely on that as supporting your case. “If it is not In writing it was never said” Pete Wright
Assume your hearing officer may be biased against you. This means that you must always conduct yourself professionally to all school personal as to not be viewed in the light of a “crazy parent” looking for the Cadillac version of education for their child.
Make sure your have evidence, track data, document conversations, get testing done by credible experienced providers that are willing to testify on behalf of your child.
My job as a special education advocate is to help prepare your case as if it will go to a hearing, even if we are not looking for anything substantial at this point. Your child may attend school until they are twenty-two so at any time their program may no longer be providing them FAPE and you will want to have your records in order and not have to go back years to try to work from memory.
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