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The Question:
My son who is 8 has autism he is in special needs class on a military base. We just moved to a new place and he has gone to school for several years now. However this new school only has him going 2 hours a day. At first I agreed to do this for a few weeks to get him used to the school but its been a few months now and I think they are doing it to convenience themselves. I think he needs to go all day like the other kids. Is this even legal? Only keeping him for 2 hours?
Special Education law can be confusing and sometimes dealing with the school system can be frustrating. This presentation is designed to help parents learn how to effectively advocate for their children within the special education context. Special education eligibility, evaluations, discipline, and dispute resolution options will be examined by discussing real-life scenarios.
As a parent navigating the special education system, what is your most important resource? Other parents! Massachusetts law requires that each school district have a Parent Advisory Counsel or PAC for short. Many PACs have monthly meetings, websites, Facebook pages, and email listservs. In Massachusetts, the Concord SEPAC has an extremely active email discussion list that includes parents, advocates, and other professionals from all over the state.
I frequently recommend that my clients read this book and often refer to it myself. The summaries of special education law are understandable, but not overly simplistic. The section about understanding tests scores is the most valuable part of the entire book. The sample letters provide a good starting point for parents, although as the book points out, it is important to also consider the effect of state special education law. Parents should remember that this book is not state-specific and that state laws may provide additional protections for their children.
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