Parents, Advocates & Educators

Are you struggling to understand special education regulations?

CONFIDENTLY NAVIGATE AND APPLY SPECIAL EDUCATION REGULATIONS AND POLICIES AT SCHOOL AND IEP MEETINGS

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED school or IEP meetings where:

  • You felt you were not listened to?

  • You were overwhelmed because references to laws, policies, and testing results were tossed out left and right but not explained?

  • You were unable to get the services you knew were needed? Or 

HAVE YOU HEARD ANY OF THE FOLLOWING “MYTHS” at school or IEP meetings?

  • “We don’t do that here.”

  • You were told that you had to sign the IEP before they left the meeting.

  • When asked for work samples, staff said they had thrown them out.

  • Participants were told they only had 30 minutes to complete the IEP meeting.

HAVE YOU WISHED you could more actively participate in school and IEP meetings?

Navigating Special Education Regulations Course

IF SO, THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU!

KEY COURSE OUTCOMES

Participants will:

  • Better understand and carry out advocacy roles as a parent, advocate, and educator.

  • Understand the procedures from identification of children with disabilities through exiting from school systems and transitioning to the adult community.

  • Know how to locate and cite federal and state regulations. 

  • Understand the steps involved in determining eligibility for an IEP, developing an IEP, determining applicable special education and related services, issues of behavior, communication, discipline, progress reports, and so many more aspects of special education regulations for children ages 3 through exiting the school system.

  • Learn strategies to actively participate in school and IEP meetings by collaborating with educational and agency personnel.

  • Become more confident in your knowledge of the laws and their application to the numerous federal special education processes.

YOU WILL BE READY FOR THE NEXT IEP MEETING

With this course, you will learn how to approach IEP school personnel in a more confident and skilled manner by being able to:

  • Be prepared for all school meetings with the information needed to present to the school team to determine eligibility or develop an IEP.

  • Come prepared with specific questions to ask of meeting participants.

  • Locate and understand pertinent special education laws as required for IEP meetings.

  • Apply “IEP meeting strategies” that will enable you to obtain services for a child with a disability in a collaborative manner.

  • Immediately apply information learned during the course sessions.

HOW THE COURSE IS STRUCTURED

All materials, videos, and course sessions for this 12-week course are provided through the internet.

Materials and links to documents will be sent to you one week before each of the live group sessions and will include:

  • Each module will include:

    • Video presentations or readings to review prior to the live session.

    • A guide for each module with

      • An introduction,

      • A listing of goals for the module,

      • Key items to look for in the videos or readings,

      • Resource materials, and

      • Guided thought questions for the week’s live session.

  • Each of the 12 virtual training sessions includes:

    • Answering questions sent by participants before the group session,  

    • Discussions focused on the session topic, and

    • If there is time, individual questions will be answered.

LEARNING MODULES

I.  History of special education in the United States

A detailed review of changes in the field of special education over the past 100 years.

II. Evaluation and Reevaluation

A review of the regulations specific to the requirements of the steps and individuals required in the process of first-time assessments and assessments thereafter. 

IV. Special Education Processes and Response to Intervention (RtI)

A review of the processes involved from Response to Intervention (RtI) to identification of a child as having a disability to exiting from special education services.

III. Determination Of Eligibility And 13 Handicapping Conditions

Discussion of each of the 13 handicapping conditions found in IDEA and their eligibility criteria for a child to be identified as having a disability and being eligible for special education and related services.

VII.  LRE and Inclusion


These are related topics, but inclusion is not an IDEA regulation. Contrast and comparisons are the focus.

X. Procedural Safeguards

This is purposely presented toward the end of the course rather than beginning with how to “fight” a school. It is important to first understand special education processes and safeguards.

V. Specific Learning Disabilities

Special attention is paid to this area because of the additional requirements in determination of SLD.

VIII. Assistive Technology

The Student Environment Tasks and Tools framework (SETT) process is highlighted along with a sample process document and examples of where that process is used for determining the need for technology.

XI. The Structured Collaborative IEP Process (SCIP)

Although components of the SCIP are discussed throughout the training, they are all pulled together in this session and participants learn how to lead an IEP meeting in a collaborative process using 6 key questions. Using this process, the IEP team is focused on the child’s needs (not those of an individual or institution) with the resulting IEP addressing the child’s needs.

VI. The IEP

The required components of an IEP are reviewed.

IX. Discipline

The processes applied in terms of discipline and removal from schools are the focus of this discussion.

XII.   An Overview of the Special Education Decoding System

This program takes school and private evaluation test scores and presents them on both a chart and bell curve to visually make sense of the various test scores. It also helps explain not only what the child’s learning difficulty might be but why.

Course Currently Closed.

Check back or contact us for more information, and upcoming date.

COURSE TESTIMONIALS

Vaughn…

1.   Incorporated experiences and insight of all participants, providing an opportunity to learn in a “reality” based manner that was participatory and inclusive.

2.   Used different instructional methods to address the different student learning styles including weekly checklists, video.

3.   Discussed practical examples/exercises that were oriented towards skill development and practical application.

4.   Took our answers seriously and never dismissed an answer, even if it missed the mark.

Cynthia Daniels-Hall, Director Special Education Advocacy

“Vaughn Lauer’s understanding of the federal laws that govern special education is spot on. In this course Vaughn explains the federal laws in a manner that every parent can understand.  This course will give you the understanding of the rules and regulations so you, as the parent, can get that “no” the school said into a “yes.” I would encourage every parent to take this course if they have a child in special education. Learn the rules and advocate for your child's needs.”

Kerri Perez, Parent and Advocate

Don't let another meeting catch you unprepared. Enroll now and in just 12 weeks, be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to actively participate in school and IEP meetings and make informed educational decisions.