School's Behaving Badly

. Ed.gov
By going to http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html anyone who considers an education agency, elementary, secondary, high school, colleges, university, vocational schools and more, is not following the law by discriminating against them based on the basis of race, color, nation­al origin, sex, disability and age, can file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights.

2. The Center for Public Education
http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/site/c.kjJXJ5MPIwE/b.1537265/k.C55/The_law_and_its_influence_on_public_school_districts_An_overview.htm
Provides a write up on what the law means on public schools, the common questions asked, the common recent court cases, the Constitution Amendments that influence school decisions and actions among other legal matters.

3. I went ahead and found some recent special education news and suits brought abut by parents to different schools district in different states due to schools misconduct with special education students:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070126/A_NEWS/701260313&cid=0&ei=OgXRRYOIEZOaHOaxsJkG

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/treasurecoast/content/tcoast/epaper/2008/05/23/0523slclassvote.html?cxntlid=inform_sr

http://www.studentsfirst.us/news/contentview.asp?c=197912

http://specialchildren.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=specialchildren&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fautism.change.org%2Fblog%2Fview%2Fschool_is_not_supposed_to_hurt_3_against_physical_restraints_amp_padded_rooms

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/feb/13/teachers-tactics-fueling-debate/news-breaking/

http://specialchildren.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=specialchildren&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fautism.change.org%2Fblog%2Fview%2Fhandcuffed_at_school

http://specialchildren.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=specialchildren&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fm.app.com%2Fnews.jsp%3Fkey%3D91186

Due Process

http://school.familyeducation.com/special-education/ada/38427.html?page=2&detoured=1
This is a simple, friendly user page that provides information to parents about due process hearings, how to get ready what are the steps, or what might even go on during a process hearing. One thing the page does state is that every state has slight variations in their due process system, so it is recommended for parents to find this information first. The page divides their information on sections like, ‘starting the process’, ‘mediation’, ‘IEP standards’ and ‘preparing a presenting’. This last section provides some tips that might come in handy while parents present their case. Having a quick, easy to understand page that provides parents with general information about due process, a hearing and other related topics like interventions, surely helps parents obtain a better understanding of what exactly it is, what goes on, how they can better defend their child’s education and more.

http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/dp.index.htm
Wrightlaw is a page that focuses on law and legal matters, and like with everything else, they provide the essential information to know about due process hearings. In addition they provide links to other common topics of interest like the ways to solve special education disputes, how to prepare for these, understanding some of the process looked at during due process, such as evaluations and IEPs. A handy link for parents might be their articles “Due process hearing: from a child’s perspective” and “Due process hearing: from a mom’s perspective”; both which help give a more personal, insight on how the process affects students and parents.

http://www.ncld.org/content/view/926/456089/
The ‘Title’ on this page is “Procedural; Safeguards- Understanding and Exercising Your Legal Rights, which is pretty self-explanatory. Is goes over the importance of being aware of the rights students and parents have, what they can do about them and how they can defend them. The site also provides a list of the points that should be included in Procedural Safeguards Notices. The information provided her is a little short and direct to the point, but login on to the following page: http://www.dredf.org/special_education/spedresources.shtml, Disability Rights Education & Defense Funds, will list more option for Procedural Safeguard and Due Process, Resolution Meetings, and Alternative Dispute Resolution. Giving parents a way of finding out information on what they can do when they feel their rights are not being truly respected will aid in letting them know that something can be done.

High Stakes Testing: State Achievement Testing

http://www.k8achievement.com/index.html
This page provides practice achievement tests for different subjects, grades 3 through 8. Results can be printed, and answers for missed questions are not provided to the students in order to encourage them to master that area and come back and retake the test. This is a helpful site, for teachers, and even parents at home who want to help their children prepare for their TAKS or any other state testing.

Ed.gov
The Education page has a section where they provide tips, interventions, strategies, and link to other pages on the internet that provide more information about what the achievement tests measure, how they were developed and even some sample questions. The three main areas for achievement testing include Reading- http://www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/reading/edpicks.jhtml?src=ln
Mathematics- http://www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/math/edpicks.jhtml?src=ln
Science - http://www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/math/edpicks.jhtml?src=ln
Providing teachers and parents more information about these achievement tests, as long as practice opportunities and a better understanding at what it consists off, will certainly help parents help their children, as well as teacher better prepare their students for when the day comes.

http://www.sharingsuccess.org/code/bv/testing.pdf
This is more of a general knowledge, data and informational page where they explain and talk about High Stakes Testing, how they are required by the government, the effect they have, they research behind them and more. It seems liked a good page, for those parents who might think high stakes tests should not be required.

Parent Advocacy

http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/prb/
Helpful for everyone, not just parents. It provides complete procedural safeguards to know and understands; to give to parents when necessary or even for teacher and other school personnel to have in order to make sure to follow the law. The most important valuable characteristic about this is that the Parent’s Notice of Procedural Safeguards is provided not only in English but in 9 other languages including, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian and more. In a multicultural society, having the necessary tools to help everyone, regardless of their language or race, is what will help the world become a better place, and have others better and greatly appreciate what we do for them, specially if it affects a child’s education.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/1580/listall.html
This was a nice and informal page designed to help parents. They provide some moral and supporting words, they also include legal matters and topics, and finally they have provided resources with related topics like diagnostic testing, behavioral concerns, and other creative ways of intervening. Providing parents a helping hand, an encouraging word, or a better understanding, might help the everyday life of many.

http://www.dmoz.org/Reference/Education/Special_Education/
This page is like an open directory of special education. By entering options like “Support”, one can have access to a list of websites that offer support for special education, there is also the option of choosing other more specific disabilities like ADHD, Autism, TBI or CP. Another option back in the Special Education page, is the option of Legal Information, which provides pages to legal advices, information and more. At the top, there is a See Also: section which usually provides related pages or sections that might be useful. This one, (Legal Information) includes- Society: Issues: Disabilities: Advocacy. This page serves as a multipurpose page, for parents, teachers, school personnel, and more, regardless of what disability is being discussed or being treated; having a quick and multiple option page to turn to in moments of distress can save someone’s lives, or education any day.

Diagnostic Testing & IEP Development

http://ntuaft.com/Departments/Research___Communication/SpecialEd/Training%20Modules/Training%20Modules/Developing%20an%20IEP/Start%20IEP%20Training%20Module.htm
This is an interested page, put up by the Newark Teachers Union (NTU), focused on different areas of special education. It provides a brief and simple explanation of what an IEP is, and to the left side of the page, they provide the different steps required to create and write and IEP. Each step is a Lesson, with some lessons having smaller section on the smaller topics of each section. They provided definitions, explanations, examples, and other considerations to keep in mind, depending on the student’s age. It seems like a helpful page, specially for those parents who would like to know and understand more about the IEP process before they attend the ARD.

http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/publicschoolprograms/ht/spedreferrals.htm
As common as this page might be, it can come off as very handy to parents of students with disabilities. Many parents have no idea what to do, or how to go about contacting the school in regard to their child having a possible learning disability. This page provides 7 simple and easy to understand steps for parents to follow when deciding to contact the school. They provide sample letters, what to include in their referral letter, what not to, and what comes next. Many parents and/or persons involved with people/children with have a better understanding of the topic when matters are explained in common terms, with little Special Education/Psychological terms; this page serves that purpose.

http://www.vdps.net/special/test.html#Terms%20used%20in%20Standardized%20Testing:
This page provides a little of everything, from principles of psychoeducational testing, to a list and description of some of the most commonly used standardized testing. One of the most beneficial sections of this page is the section on the Terms commonly used in Standardized testing. This are terms we as psychologists learn in school, but when presented in a report to school personnel or parents, a great percentage of them will not understand what we are talking about, so having access to a place where they can review all this terms, without having to travel back and forth between pages will help the understanding of these.

SPECIAL EDUCATION CASE LAW

http://www.specialedconnection.com/
Specialedconnection.com is a page who focuses on special education law cases; provide updates on new, current cases and court decisions, in addition federal guidelines, advice and litigation advice. Even though it required a fee to obtain all the full benefits of the website, there is still a Free E-news section where briefs of some of the latest cases across the different states, and sometimes even a link as to where to obtain some extra information about topics related to that case. Additionally, they are allied with LRP publications, so they also offer updates and offers on new products as well as new services provided to the community. It is a useful page where those parents with students with disabilities can turn to whenever doubting services or placement of their children; either to decide to take further action or to rectify that the school and the district are doing what they are supposed to. For teachers, and school personnel, it is a good way to keep update with recent changes that might come about.

http://www.wrightslaw.com/caselaw.htm#supreme
Wrightslaw is a law page designed to provide information regarding some of the most important, or influencing law cases related to special education; placement, eligibility, services, FAPE, and more. By picking the Home option, one can go to the home page and look up any specific case. There is also the option of finding out about legal guidelines and procedures of some of the most related Acts in special education, such as No Child Left Behind, and IDEA. The specific link presented above, direct the reader the Case Law Library where they present some of the most predominant and history making cases of special education, divided by the level of law that settled the case and provided the last ruling; U.S. Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals, or District Courts. For anyone who deals with special education on a day-to-day base, it is important that they are aware of commonly cited case law, their decision, their influence on education and services, as well as their jurisdiction.

http://www.megalaw.com/top/education.php
This page, similar to other website focused on Special Education Law, focuses on special education cases, through out time. They have organized their page in a way that is helpful to their readers. They present the option of looking at cases handled by the U.S. Supreme Court, or by the U.S. court of Appeals; which is later divided by circuits. Both of these options will direct you to Cornell’s University Law School page (http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/search/search.html?query=education), which is another excellent source for education law and cases. Finally, there is the option of looking at educational statues by states. They also included other available options such as Government Agencies, Departments of Education by states, and even link to others educational legal websites. Being able to have access to all previous settled education cases, along with state statues and a way to contact any department of education in case of emergency, is always helpful to anyone dealing with special education. Additionally, having access to legal matters and other legal websites where one can obtain advice, and guidance surely helps keep things in line.

*EXTRA*

http://fapeonline.org/

Many of the educational cases go back to the provision and implementation of services of a “free appropriate public education” as regulated by IDEA, so here is this extra page, to give readers a little help when it comes to FAPE, their terms, resources, best practices, family issues and more.

Inclusion and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

http://www.circleofinclusion.org/
Circleofinclusion.org focuses mainly on early childhood inclusion. It expresses their view on inclusion, the benefits that might come from it, and how there might be several different ways to carry out inclusion. They have several different options to choose form in their site. There is the option to visit and lean about other inclusive programs in the state of Kansas. There also is the option to read about some of the methods and practices of inclusion. Their present a preschool Manual, which is guideline to different areas of inclusion in preschool; from helping parents, from understanding our roles in inclusion to actual strategies utilized with children across different hours and settings of school. Finally, there also is a section for downloading materials like observation forms, or aids for IEP’s and more. The site has many helpful tools for teachers on learning how to carry out proper inclusion, and for parents of students with disabilities in order to become more familiarize with inclusion and its process.


http://www.tash.org/index.html
TASH’s, The Association for the Severely Handicapped, is a non-profit, international organization whose main purpose is to promote full inclusion and participation by students with disabilities in all areas of life and their community regardless of their degree of disability. The have resources, and advocacy guidance for those parents of children with disabilities, or even adults with disabilities who wish to find support and the right knowledge about their rights to the least restrictive environment. They also have links to other websites with similar interest. Whether it be adults or children with disabilities, it is always good to know there is somewhere to turn to for support and guidance.


http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/lre.index.htm
Wrightslaw mainly discusses issues related to the rights students and adults with disabilities have, and this time, it’s no exception. Their page for Inclusion, Least restrictive Environment (LRE) and Mainstreaming talks about the rights actually delineated by IDEA 2004. They also present some of the most frequently asked questions about LRE, and some articles related to the topic of LRE. To conclude their page, they include some of the most notorious cases that dealt with Inclusion/LRE. Knowing what exactly IDEA requires schools to provide to students in relation to inclusion and LRE, what parents can fight for or what is off the requirement certainly will help every parent, teachers and school staff and personnel that deals with students with disabilities, in order to not only follow the law, but to provide students with the education they deserve.