We received the following comments to Erin King's article on Special Education that we wanted to pass on to you, our readers. The author of these comments is an attorney, which means that by training he anticipates things going wrong, and only gets involved when bad things have happened. Though we see his words as too harsh, his advice is good: Put things in writing!
William A. Rossbach, Esq. sent a message using the contact form
re: advice to parent of ADHD afflicted chile by: Erin N. King, Ed.S
Ms. King's suggestion to a parent inquiring about the possible need for special education services for her child is simply bad advice. When a parent suspects that her child may be in need of additional services and does not know if special education is appropriate, the only thing to do is to put a request for evaluation for special education and/or 504 accommodations IN WRITING. Only a written request will give legal notice to public school personnel that the clock has started and they must convene a team to conduct an evaluation.
A part of the process at the meeting will include mandated dissemination by school personnel of appeal rights. The suggestion by Ms. King that parents should anticipate school administrators who are eager to assist is helping to establish a very dangerous frame of mind for parents. There are double vertical lines
through the S in Special Education, and the resistance to additional budgetary expenditures is frequently, if not always, a driving force in the determination of just what services, if any, a school will offer.
William A. Rossbach, Esq.
Michigan attorney practicing in the areas of general and special education, and parent for the last twenty-two years of a special needs child.
Here are some other resources to help your child to be more successful at school: