Wrightslaw

---

1. Progress Report & Thank You Note

It's time for our annual progress report - and a big thank you from the Wrightslaw staff.

Progress Report: Wrightslaw

In 2003, more than 1.1 million people visited the Wrightslaw site. You downloaded more than 4.5 million files - that's more than 16 million hits.

Visitors: 1,148,799
Pages Viewed: 4,670,852
Hits: 16,108,572

You came from dozens of countries - from Antigua to Zimbabwe.

Busiest months: April and October
Slowest months: December and July

Wrightslaw is ranked #1 in education law, special education law, and special education advocacy. (2003 Alexa rankings)

Yellow Pages for Kids

In October 2003, we launched our third website - Yellow Pages for Kids. Each State Yellow Page lists evaluators, educational consultants, academic tutors, parent support groups, grassroots organizations, advocates, attorneys, and others who help parents get services for their children.

We asked you to help us get the word out about the Yellow Pages - and we designed printer-friendly flyers for each state that you can distribute and post on websites.

If you are interested in being added to the yellow pages, please send us an email (listings are free).

The Special Ed Advocate Newsletter

Between 1998 and 2003, we published 241 newsletters. The first issue of The Special Ed Advocate went out to 200 people in April, 1998. Today, more than 45,000 people receive the newsletter. Subscribe

Thank you for telling your friends and colleagues about The Special Ed Advocate!

Progress Report: Wrightslaw Books

In 1999, Wrightslaw: Special Education Law was published. The book is now in the ninth printing with more than 40,000 in print.

In October 2001, Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy was published. The book is now in its fifth printing with more than 25,000 in print. To supplement From Emotions to Advocacy, we built a companion site called FETAweb.

In December 2003, Harbor House Law Press published Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind. Subscribers received a special pre-publication offer on this new book. Because of your support, Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind will soon go into the second printing.

Professors and teachers at colleges and universities around the country have adopted Wrightslaw books for courses. How to Order Exam Copies

With the Advocacy Challenge Discount, individuals and organizations save 50-60% on bulk purchases of Wrightslaw books for training and conferences.

Internet Orders

Fax, Mail and Phone Orders

Progress Report: Advocacy Training Programs

In 2003, Pete and Pam did 15 Advocacy Training Programs and 5 Boot Camps in 13 states. In 2004, programs are scheduled in the Midwest, Alaska and the West Coast.

Thank You!

As we reflect on these staggering figures, we want to thank you for making 2003 a more successful year than we imagined possible.

"If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem."

By working together, we can make a difference for the 6.5 million children with disabilities and their families.

---

2. Top 10 Articles in 2003

The top 10 downloads in 2003 are:

#1. IDEA Reauthorization News

#2. Tests & Measurements for the Parent, Teacher, Advocate and Attorney

#3. SMART IEPs (Chapter 12, Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy)

#4. The Art of Writing Letters

#5. Tests & Measurements Slide Show

#6. Your Child's IEP: Practical and Legal Guidance for Parents and Advocates

#7. Frequently Asked Questions about IDEA, Students with Disabilities & Assessments

#8. Functional Behavior Assessments

#9. Honig v. Doe

#10. Game Plan: Writing Good IEP Goals and Objectives

---

3. Why No Child Left Behind is a Good Law - and How to Use It by Pete Wright

Many people have questions about the No Child Left Behind Act. Some people damn NCLB, some praise it. Others want my opinion about whether the law is good or bad for kids with special educational needs.

In this article, Pete Wright explains why No Child Left Behind is a good law and describes problems he anticipates. When you see how Pete is using NCLB in his cases, you'll know why he says, "What do I think about the No Child Left Behind law? I think it's great!"

Read Why No Child Left Behind is a Good Law - and How to Use It.

 

---

4. New Issue of The Beacon

The Beacon: The Journal of Special Education Law and Practice is a multi-disciplinary electronic journal of special education law and practice published by Harbor House Law Press. Each issue of The Beacon focuses on a theme and includes practical and theoretical articles.

Harbor House published a new issue of The Beacon on December 17. This issue includes articles about educational standards, reading, research, reading assessments, and an excerpt from Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind, the new book from Harbor House Law Press.

Previous issues dealt with mediation and negotiation, documents, and expert witnesses. You can read these issues in the Beacon Archives.

You may subscribe to The Beacon from the Harbor House Law site.

Learn more about The Beacon. More free newsletters about special education legal issues.

---

5. Put Wrightslaw Training on Your To-do List for the New Year

Wrightslaw training programs focus on four areas: special education laws, rights & responsibilities; how to use the bell curve to measure progress & regression; SMART IEPs; and tactics & strategies for effective advocacy.

 

Our Winter schedule includes programs in:

February 17: Jefferson City, MO
February 20: Skokie IL
February 24: Indianapolis, IN
February 28: Troy, MI
March 26-27: Manchester, NH (Boot Camp)
April 8-9: Juneau, AK (Boot Camp)
April 13-14: Anchorage, AK (Boot Camp)
April 30-May 1: Annapolis, MD (Boot Camp)

Yes, we are coming to the West Coast! Join us in Sacramento on July 17-18 for a two-day special education law and advocacy Boot Camp.

For information about these and other programs that will be held over the next few months, please check our Seminars & Training page.

We are scheduling programs for Fall 2004 and 2005. If you are interested in bringing Pete & Pam Wright to your community, please read our FAQs about Seminars.

---

 

The Special Ed Advocate is a free online newsletter about special education legal and advocacy issues, cases, and tactics and strategies. Subscribers receive "alerts" about new cases, events, and special offers on Wrightslaw books.

Law Library	Seminars & Training
Advocacy Library	Yellow Pages for Kids
Free Newsletter	Newsletter Archives

Contact Info

Pete and Pam Wright
Wrightslaw & The Special Ed Advocate
P. O. Box 1008
Deltaville, VA 23043
Website: http://www.wrightslaw.com
Email: newsletter@wrightslaw.com