I just wanted to add some additional information that I got from another listserve that I belong to.
So, keep in mind a couple of things;
1) many, if not most, SD's need to be educated about the disability, and if you don't do it, no one will;
2) these people couldn't care a bit about your child, and their interest is saving resources (cost or time),
3) squeaky wheels are the ones that get greased - BE THE SQUEAKY WHEEL;
4) advocacy is an ongoing effort, and you need to be forceful. Let them know that you will take nothing less than what is appropriate in your mind.
The first child with autism that I represented entered pre-school with about a dozen words. As soon as the public school got their hands on him, he completely lost his ability to speak. Now he is in HS is a day program making little or no progress. They likely closed the window on his speech by not addressing it when he was young. Don't let that be your child.
As a parent new to the system, I believe it will provide you some insight that much of the other stuff you are seeing kind of ignores. Pete's (Pete Wright, From Emotions To Advocacy) got some great stuff out there to help parents understand the regs and laws that apply here, and even provide some guidance on dealing with the district. But many parents are dealing with difficult districts that could care less about the child, the law, or any ethics, and you need to be aware of that.
The book is "The Special Education Battlefield: A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective Advocacy." It is not such a big seller as to be in bookstores, but is available on www.amazon.com where you can read some reviews, or from the publisher at www.andrewcuddybooks.com
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