Advocacy News: May 2004

A2Z helps parents obtain special education services for their children. Join us Thursaday nights from 6PM-8PM PST in the Advocacy Chat to exchange ideas and information with other parents and educational advocates. Letter to my Mom and Dad - a teens perspective

Introducing our latest program – P. A. L.
(Parent Advisory Liaison)
Next PAL training Feb. 28th at 10:00 AM

Program reservations are filling up. Call ahead to register, as there is limited seating.

The program’s goal is to educate parents in the IEP process towards achieving a more meaningful IEP. Click here for more info

"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

Sample IEP Meeting Agenda

Special Education Credential Program at UCSB - Possible job training and opportunities serving our children population. There will be an information session at the Grad School of Education at UCSB on Feb. 18th  from 11:00am -12:30 at 2524 Phelps Hall.

Special Education Students and the Alegebra Challenge

California High School seniors who have not had the opportunity to take or pass an algebra class are being penalized by bad decisions that adults have made. These bad decisions are going to make a life long impact in these students lives as they will not receive a High School Diploma and therefore have many doors closed to them PERMANENTLY!!!!! we CAN'T LET THIS HAPPEN!!!

Today I was informed by the CTA special education lobbyist, Isabel Garcia, that Assemblyman Steinberg is considering urgency legislation that would put off this requirement, possibly to the year 2006 which would align with the CHASE requirements. In essence, Isabel shared, that if Assemblyman Steinberg is "convinced" that this is a MAJOR issue, he will decide to carry the bill. She has asked us, to do several things..... *send him "real life" stories of how the Algebra requirement is hurting real children. I don't think we are going to have to look far and wide to find these. They are sitting in every high school classroom in California! *They want a volume of letters, faxes and e-mails. I personally think the fax is the most effective, but do what works for you. *The last day to submit a bill is February 20th, so in order to provide him with volume enough to help him make up his mind, we need these letters, faxes and e-mails by the 11th or 12th at the latest. *Parents, we need you to be willing to share your stories, and to be ready to testify if and when this bill gets to committees.

click here read the rest
 

Family Participation Fund The California Department of Education is committed to helping family members voice their opinions about education policy. Through the State Improvement Grant, the Department established the Family Participation Fund to provide financial assistance to families. The Fund assists families who do not have any other agency support, to become active members of decision-making committees, task forces and other policy-making bodies.

SN02-01583: A2Z negotiated a confidential settlement agreement at mediation with Santa Monica Malibu Unified school district. The issues involved years of procedural and substantive violations. The student secured appropriate services, compensatory services and reimbursements for privately obtained assessments and services.

SN04-00109: A2Z negotiated a confidential settlement agreement with Conejo Valley Unified School District at mediation regarding placement and services for an autistic 3 year old. The district’s prior offer totaled one hour of services and no placement. The settlement provides for a full educational program, including preschool placement, related services, further assessments, a trained specialist to oversee the program, and reimbursements.

SN03-02040: A2Z negotiated a confidential settlement agreement with a large local school district regarding placement and services for a 5 year old with autism. The case also involved procedural violations in the offer of placement, including the failure of the district to provide important information about the placement to the parents. The parents secured an appropriate placement for the student, with services including home based BII.

SN03-01230: A2Z negotiated a confidential settlement agreement with a large school district, involving a 11 year old student with autism. The settlement provides for reimbursement for private placement for part of the 2003 school year and prospective placement at the private school for the 2003-2004 school year. The private placement will be stay put. The settlement also includes DIS services to be provided at the private school site. Parents were reimbursed for all out of pocket expenses, including assessments and attorney’s fees.

SN02-00029: A2Z negotiated a confidential settlement agreement with LAUSD local district D, involving a 6th grade middle school student with SLD, originally a student at Topanga Elementary. The settlement provides for placement at Westmark with all appropriate services and reimbursement for attorney’s fees.

SN03-01451 v. Burbank Unified School District: A2Z won a Due Process Hearing against Burbank Unified School District after a 6-day due process hearing, which concluded on September 29, 2003. At issue was the appropriateness of the District’s offer of placement and services for a high school student with Asperger’s Syndrome. The student has significant social and emotional needs related to the student’s disability, and has had increased anxiety related to the pressures of attending a large public high school. The parents prevailed on all issues. The Hearing Officer held that BUSD failed to offer a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for the student for both ESY and the 2003-2004 school year. Specifically, the decision found that the district’s placement was not designed to meet the student’s unique needs in the areas of social skills and behavior and did not address the student’s anxiety or stress. The Hearing Officer also found that the program was not reasonably calculated to provide an educational benefit, noting that “appropriate social skills and behavior are essential in order for a student to benefit educationally.” On the LRE issue, the Hearing Officer found that the student needed a small, structured program in a safe environment and that the proposed placement was therefore not restrictive enough. The decision ordered reimbursement to the parents for all costs related to their unilateral placement of the student at Village Glen, which the Hearing Officer found to be an appropriate program to address the student’s needs. Further, the Hearing Officer ordered prospective placement at Village Glen for the remainder of the school year. Read the DECISION...

OAH: 20021020585: A2Z negotiated a confidential settlement with a local regional center. The case involved specialized supervision hours, respite hours and reimbursement for camp.

OAH: 2003030129: A2Z negotiated a confidential settlement with a local regional center. The agreement provides for extensive services for a 3 year old with autism, to include OT and gym services. Reimbursement for services that were previously approved was also included.

In The Works: Check our new message board for up to the minute interactive dialogue with parents and professionals. (Messages are only posted after being reviewed to insure that the content is appropriate)

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

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