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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.

We assist parents with navigating the maze of school districts, including, IEPs, compliance complaints, Due Process hearings, and beyond. We come at this with a unique approach, working on every case as a team, with Parents a vital and active part of that team.

Announcements:

special education attorney
Happy Holidays from A2Z


Attention Parents and Guardians!

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.

A2Z's new Back to School Checklist.doc
A2Z's new Back to School Checklist.pdf


Thorkil Sonne: Recruit Autistics:

WIRED MAGAZINE: 17.10

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

Our goal is not only to provide parents with representation, but also to empower parents, and ultimately the child, to become better advocates themselves.

Visit our new Educational Advocates Blog!

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.

www.a2zeducationaladvocates.blogspot.com


A2Z now has cases searchable by disability


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


The band, Five for Fighting, is generously donating $0.49 to AutismSpeaks for *each time* this video is viewed. The funding goes toward research studies to help find a cure for autism. When you have a moment, please visit the link below to watch the video and pass it along to your loved ones. They are aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we can help them to surpass this goal.

http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214


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

Why Should Society Waste Money Providing Services to Children with Disabilities?
- A letter from a disillusioned therapist and the response from A2Z

Letter to my Mom and Dad - a teens perspective

Special Education Topic: Understanding “Stay-put” and What it Means for Your Child

 

 

Does your child have any of the following disabilities?

• Specific learning disabilities
• Speech/language impairments
• Mental retardation
• Emotional disturbance
• Multiple disabilities
• Hearing impairments
• Orthopedic impairments
• Other health impairments (limitations in strength, vitality, or alertness, including AD/HD)
• Visual impairments
• Deaf-blindness
• Autism
super sensory session - understanding Autism
• Traumatic brain injury

Does this disability adversely affect your child's educational performance?

Is your child being served satisfactorily by your school district?

LET US ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. Call 888 IDEA-ADA (888-4332-232), or email us at inquiry@a2zedad.com for more information.

Click here for recent case history

Meeting of the Los Angeles Asperger's Syndrome Parents Support Group

Statistics in California for the 2002-2003 school year do not support
Congress' underlying premise.

  • Attorneys were responsible for less than 40% of all requests for
    due process hearings.
  • With respect to due process decisions rendered, parents won all or
    part of those cases approximately 72% of the time when represented by an
    attorney.
  • When parents represented themselves, they lost 75% of the time.
  • School districts where represented by an attorney in approximately
    80% of the cases decided.
  • In cases where school districts were represented by an attorney,
    they lost all or part of the cases approximately 58% of the time.
© 2002 - A2Z Educational Advocates   Website Design by Dania Morris   ADD ADHD Attorney