Welcome
to the A2Z Educational Advocates website.
A2Z
helps parents obtain special education services for their
children. We are a Special Education Law Firm working to represent parents of special needs kids at every level of the process.
If your child has been diagnosed with one of the following conditions you may be entitled to educational services from your local school district beginning at age 3 years...more
Get ready for the new school year with A2Z's new Back to School Checklist for parents!
Summer is almost at an end, and soon it will be time for students, teachers and parents to gear up for school year 2009-2010! Most parents, whether of typically developing kids or kids with disabilities, are a little anxious as the school year approaches. What will this year's teacher be like? Will my child make new friends in the classroom? How will the curriculum expectations change? How will my child adjust to a new setting, like middle school? What will the homework expectations be? As parents of students with disabilities get ready for another school year, these questions also lead to questions and concerns about IEPs, assessments, progress reporting, instructional programs, related services, and other issues. We've prepared a checklist for parents to help get organized for the start of the school year.
Most occupations require people skills. But for some, a preternatural capacity for concentration and near-total recall matter more. Those jobs, entrepreneur Thorkil Sonne says, could use a little autism.
Sonne reached this conclusion six years ago, after his youngest son was diagnosed with the mysterious developmental disorder. "At first I was in agony and despair," he recalls. "Then came the thought of what happens when he grows up." ...full article
This blog is a place for those interested in special education issues. We hope to use this blog to share stories and ideas with the special education community. We are a team of attorneys and advocates in southern California who represent parents of students with disabilities.
The
Public Service Announcement (PSA) video "Respect"
is included as an option on the Tropic Thunder home
video/DVD menu. Our coalition partner TASH was successful
in having Wal-Mart show the PSA in stores across the
country during October for Disability Awareness Month.
Coalition
"Respect" PSA, Copyright 2008 Will Schermerhorn
September
30th, 2008
URGENT GOOD NEWS
ADAAA
Becomes Law, Strengthens 504 & ADA
Today,
the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), S.3406, was signed into
law. The ADAAA overturns a decade of jurisprudence that
has barred the door to ADA eligibility for many people
with disabilities, including epilepsy, diabetes, intellectual
and developmental disabilities, muscular dystrophy,
and cancer, among many others...read
more
Jul.
07, 2008 Families of Autistic Children, Insurers Battle Over
Coverage
By Evan George
Daily Journal Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES - A labyrinth with no end is how one father
described the dizzying process parents must maneuver
to secure medical treatments for a child with autism.
Many say the struggle
for medical care is as complex and maddening as the
disorder itself, because even families with robust health
coverage must fight, petition or sue their insurers
to get the costly therapy that doctors say is crucial
to help children with autism.
A new class action and
a handful of autism-related legislation winding through
Sacramento highlight that struggle...read
more
PRESUME
COMPETENCE:
Challenging Conventional Wisdom About People with Disabilities
Within
our judicial system, a person is presumed innocent.
At trial, the person charged with breaking the law doesn’t
even have to take the stand to defend himself; it’s
up to the prosecution to present evidence which shows
the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. read
the full story...
The
Help Group is please to offer After-School Social
Skills Groups KIDS LIKE ME
Designed
to facilitate social skill development in a structured,
fun, & supportive atmosphere. Click
here for details
P.A.L.
training
The
program’s goal is to educate parents in the IEP
process towards achieving a more meaningful IEP. Click
here for more info
Pal
Training is for groups of 10 or more. Arrangements can
be made by calling our office at 888-433-2232.
"The
A2Z P.A.L. Program gave me the resources and confidence
to meld my life experiences into a successful career
that works around the rest of my life."
Jeri Suchand - single mother of a child with Asperger's
Syndrome
I
wanted to thank all of you for the wonderful training
experience on Saturday. Not only was it extremely
helpful on both a personal and a professional level,
but it truly confirmed my choice of career paths. It
was really exciting to see how fulfilling your careers
are. My favorite part of the day was went we
got to meet the children and share their scenes with
them! They were amazing! I really look forward to helping
out with your upcoming projects.
Sincerely,
Erica Willis
Special
Education Topic:Update on Changes
in Special Education
- Those involved in the Special Education field are
currently sorting through many transitions and changes.
To parents, this can seem overwhelming and confusing.
What does it mean to you and your kid? What resources
are available to help you through the process? Click
here for more info
