The Special Ed Advocate, February 27, 2003
(Issue 200)
In this issue, we learn about IQ scores and the Matthew Effect; teacher
quality and NCLB; parents' right to know qualifications of child's
teachers & para-pros; sample letter to request info about your child's
teachers; letter writing and paper trails; advocacy training in
Bloomington/Normal, IL and Iselin, NJ; and a new report on "Rehabilitating
Section 504."
Online version of this newsletter:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/03/nl.0227.htm
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1. MY CHILD'S IQ DROPPED 21 POINTS IN 2 YEARS - SCHOOL SAYS "NOT
UNUSUAL" - TRUE?
2. FACTS ABOUT TEACHER QUALITY: ARE WE DESTROYING THE FUTURE - ONE CHILD AT A
TIME?
3. PARENTS' RIGHT TO KNOW QUALIFICATIONS OF CHILD'S TEACHERS
4. HOW TO REQUEST INFO ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S TEACHERS
5. SAMPLE LETTERS TO THE SCHOOL
6. PAPER TRAILS & LETTER WRITING
7. WRIGHTSLAW COMES TO FLORIDA, ILLINOIS & NEW JERSEY
8. REHABILITATING SECTION 504
9. SUBCRIPTION & CONTACT INFO
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1. MY CHILD'S IQ DROPPED 21 POINTS IN 2 YEARS - SCHOOL SAYS THIS IS "NOT
UNUSUAL" - IS THIS TRUE?
I have a question about a problem described in your book, "From Emotions to
Advocacy - The Special Ed Survival Guide."
In the chapter, "Crisis! Emergency! Help!" you describe situations
that cause a parent to contact an attorney including, "The school says that
they have realized that the child's true problem is that the child is not
learning disabled but is instead mentally retarded, so the child's placement and
program needs to be changed or eliminated altogether."
This happened to us. My daughter's IQ dropped 21 points in 2 years. The school
claims this is "not unusual" and that at age 8, she has reached her
"highest expected level of performance."
Is this true?
What do you think? Is it normal for IQ scores to fall more than 20 points in two
years? Do children reach their "highest expected level of performance"
at age 8?
What should this parent do? Read our answer at:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/test.scores.drop.htm
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2. FACTS ABOUT TEACHER QUALITY: ARE WE DESTROYING THE FUTURE - ONE CHILD AT A
TIME?
In June, Secretary of Education Rod Paige issued a call for action and
challenged states to raise standards for teachers and lower barriers that keep
qualified individuals from entering teaching careers.
According to Dr. Paige, "The National report cards in recent years show we
are destroying that future—one child at a time." In support of this
statement, he offered these shocking facts:
* Two out of three 4th graders cannot read proficiently. * Seven out of 10 inner
city and rural 4th graders cannot read at the most basic level. * One-third of
college freshmen need remedial classes before they can handle entry-level
courses.* American 12th graders rank among the lowest in math and science of all
industrialized nations.
Source: U. S. Department of Education - http://www.nclb.gov/next/stats/index.html
In "Facts about Teacher Training & Certification: Are We Destroying the
Future, One Child at a Time?" we take a closer look at teacher quality,
training and certification -
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/teach.quality.htm
The No Child Left behind Act calls for highly qualified teachers — teachers
who demonstrate subject knowledge and skills in reading, writing, mathematics
and other basic subject areas — to be in place in every classroom by the end
of the 2005-06 school year.
Facts About Good Teachers - http://www.nclb.gov/start/facts/teachers.html
To learn more about teacher quality issues, download "Improving Teacher
Quality State Grants (Non-Regulatory Draft Guidance)" from the U. S.
Department of Education -
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SIP/TitleIIguidance2002.doc
===============
3. PARENTS' RIGHT TO KNOW QUALIFICATIONS OF CHILD'S TEACHERS
Did you know you have a right to know the qualifications of your child's
teachers and paraprofessionals? Under the No Child Left behind Act, your school
district must advise you of your right to information about the
qualifications of your child's teachers and paraprofessionals.
Is a substitute teacher teaching your child? If an unqualified person teaches
your child for four consecutive weeks, your school district must notify you.
This requirement applies to substitute teachers, many of whom do not meet
"highly qualified" requirements. [Source: NCLB, Title I, Section
1111(h)(6)]
Learn about the new parents' right to know the qualifications of child's
teachers:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/nclb.parent.right.know.htm
=====================
4. HOW TO REQUEST INFO ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S TEACHERS
Do you want to learn the qualifications of your child's teachers and
paraprofessionals? If the answer is "yes", you need to write a letter
to request this information from the school.
Since many people lack confidence in their ability to write letters, we wrote a
sample letter that you can use as a template. Just change the identifying
information - your name, address and phone number, your child's name, school,
and principal.
You can download the "request for teacher qualifications letter" from:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/nclb.ltr.teacher.qual.pdf
The "request for teacher qualifications" letter is also available as a
Word document:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/nclb.ltr.teacher.qual.doc
We suggest that you print the February 1, 2003 issue of The Achiever: No Child
Left Behind Newsletter and include a copy of the newsletter with your letter:
http://www.nclb.gov/Newsletter/20030201.pdf
==================
5. SAMPLE LETTERS TO THE SCHOOL
For more information about letter writing, please go to:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/ltrs.index.htm
If you have a copy of Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, turn to page 331.
You will find more than a dozen letters that you can tailor to your
circumstances:
* Request your child's file
* Request a meeting with the school team
* Document a discipline problem
* Express appreciation
* Document an IEP problem
* Decline a request / reschedule a meeting
* Request a meeting with a teacher
* Request a review of your child's educational records
* Request an evaluation for special education services
* Request test scores as standard scores & percentile ranks
* Follow-up letter after IEP meeting to document unresolved issues /
requests
* Ten-day letter to withdraw child from public school
Learn more about Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/bks/feta/feta.htm
Online Orders: http://www.wrightslaw.com/store/index.html
Toll-free Phone & Fax Orders: http://www.wrightslaw.com/bks/orderform.htm
====================
6. PAPER TRAILS & LETTER WRITING
You can use letters to build relationships, identify and solve problems, clarify
decisions that were made and not made, and motivate people to take action.
Train yourself to write things down - this will help you protect your child's
interests. If you have a dispute with the school, your letters independent
evidence that support your memory. Documents that support your position will
help you resolve disputes early.
When you write a letter, think about what you want your letter to accomplish.
Edit letters they make a good impression. When you write a letter, think about
the powerful decision-making Stranger who can make things right.
These articles will help you write effective letters:
* The Art of Writing Letters *
In this article you learn to use tactics and strategies when you write letters
to the school. You learn about the Blame Approach and the Story-Telling
Approach; the sympathy factor; first impressions; pitfalls; and the powerful
decision-making Stranger.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/DRAFT_Letters.html
* Using Story-Telling to Persuade *
See how one father used the story-telling approach of letter writing when he
asked the school district to help his son. Do you see Joe through his father's
eyes? Do you understand why the parents removed Joe from the public school
program? What should be done to help Joe?
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/ltrs.persuade.james.htm
* 12 Rules for Writing Great Letters *
If you have a problem with the school or concerns about your child's program,
you must document your concerns in writing. This article includes 12 Rules for
Writing Letters, and editing tips.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/12rules_letters.htm
====================
7. WRIGHTSLAW IS COMING TO FLORIDA, ILLINOIS, NEW JERSEY
Knowledge is power. When you have information and skills, you will be a more
effective advocate for your child. Our role is to help you gain knowledge so you
can negotiate with the school on your child's behalf.
Over the next few weeks, we are scheduled to do programs in Orlando, FL,
Bloomington / Normal IL, and Iselin, NJ.
March 13-16: Annual COPAA Conference, Orlando, FL http://www.wrightslaw.com/news/2003/copaa.conf.htm
March 21-22: Bloomington / Normal, IL
http://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/03.03.il.htm
April 6, 2003: Iselin, NJ
http://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/03.nj.htm
For more information about these events and other programs that will be held
over the next few months, please check our Seminars & Training page: http://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/index.htm
If you are interested in learning how to bring Pete & Pam to your community,
please read our FAQs about Seminars: http://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/faqs.htm
====================
8. REHABILITATING SECTION 504
In February 2003, the National Council on Disability published a new report
about shortcomings that have hindered compliance and enforcement of Section 504,
and recommend strategies to resolve these problems.
Strategies include:
* Periodic and thorough Section 504 self-evaluations
* Improved data collection and dissemination of data about Section 504
enforcement
* Increased resources and guidance to federal agencies on Section 504
enforcement
* Application of successful practices in Section 504 technical assistance
and enforcement.
Learn more about "Rehabilitating Section 504" at -
http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/section504.html
====================
9. SUBCRIPTION & CONTACT INFO
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: http://www.wrightslaw.com/law.htm
Advocacy Library: http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc.htm
Free Newsletter: http://www.wrightslaw.com/subscribe.htm
Archives: http://www.wrightslaw.com/archives.htm
Seminars & Training: http://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/index.htm
Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities:
http://www.fetaweb.com/help/states.htm
CONTACT INFORMATION
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
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