| Are you the parent of a child with autism or a learning | | | | meetings. OSEP answered Hillary's letter by stating |
| disability? Are you a single parent who sometimes | | | | that: School districts can invite people that have |
| feels intimidated by special education personnel, at IEP | | | | knowledge or special expertise regarding the child. |
| meetings? Have school personnel told you that they | | | | However ever if the attorney possessed knowledge |
| will be bringing their attorney to your child's next IEP | | | | about the student, his or her presence would have the |
| meeting, and you are upset? Some special education | | | | potential of creating an atmosphere that would not be |
| personnel state that they want their attorneys at IEP | | | | in the child's best interest. . .Therefore the best interest |
| meetings, to try and intimidate parents, and have them | | | | of the child compelled OSEP to strongly discourage |
| not ask for additional services. This article will give you | | | | attendance of attorneys for school districts at IEP |
| 4 easy to use parenting tips, to help you prevent your | | | | meetings. |
| school district, from bringing their attorney to your child's | | | | Tip 3: Write another letter to your school district and |
| IEP meeting. | | | | include copies of the Hillary Clinton Policy Letter on |
| The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is | | | | School Attorneys at IEP meetings. Ask them to |
| silent, on any attorney's at IEP meetings, parents or | | | | reconsider their decision to bring their attorney to your |
| school districts. But if the school district has an attorney | | | | child's IEP meeting. If they will not reconsider go on to |
| at an IEP meeting and the parents cannot afford an | | | | Tip 4. |
| attorney, then the parent will not be able to be an | | | | Tip 4: File a state complaint with your state |
| equal participant in the IEP process. | | | | department of education, stating that your school |
| Tip 1: Once you are notified that the school's attorney | | | | district is violating IDEA, by not allowing you to be an |
| is coming to your child's IEP meeting, notify them in | | | | equal participant in your child's IEP. Special education |
| writing that you will be canceling the meeting. Also tell | | | | personnel are doing this by inviting their attorney to |
| them your reason for canceling the meeting (cannot | | | | your child's IEP meeting. The state has 60 days to |
| afford an attorney and feel that I would not be an | | | | complete the complaint. Send in copies of all letters, to |
| equal participant), and that they do not have your | | | | and from school personnel, as well as the Hillary Clinton |
| permission to have the meeting without you. This last | | | | Policy Letter with your complaint. |
| part is important, so that if they have the meeting, you | | | | I actually had this happen to me several years ago. I |
| can file a state complaint and ask that everything done | | | | told the special education person that I would be |
| at the meeting be thrown out, because the meeting | | | | canceling the meeting. After thinking about it, the school |
| was illegal. | | | | district changed their mind about having their attorney |
| Tip 2: After you have canceled the meeting, go to the | | | | come to my son's IEP meeting. The meeting was held |
| Department of Educations Web site at ed.gov, and | | | | without the presence of an attorney. |
| type in Special Education in the box. Once you get to | | | | By using these 4 easy to use tips, you will be able to |
| special education, in the Search box put "OSEP policy | | | | advocate for your child to try and prevent the school |
| letter to Hillary Clinton July 23, 2001." | | | | district, from bringing their attorney to your child's IEP |
| The letter was written by Hillary Clinton asking whether | | | | meeting. Good Luck, the fight is worth it! |
| it is appropriate for a district to invite its attorney to IEP | | | | |