Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Parents often ask me, “When should I speak to a special education attorney?”  For an answer, I turned to Jayne Wesler, an attorney with Sussan & Greenwald, a Cranbury, NJ law firm with an outstanding reputation for integrity, fairness, and effectiveness. Below is Mrs. Wesler’s response.   – Howard Margolis

******************************************************************************************************************

When To Contact A Special Education Attorney

Jayne Wesler, Esq.  Read more...

From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Last week, we discussed five evaluation and IEP traps that often harm children with reading disabilities. Today, we’ll discuss five more.

Agree or Disagree: It’s fair to ask a school to measure a child’s progress once or twice a year, but asking a school to objectively measure progress weekly is simply asking too much. It’s “overkill.”  Read more...

From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Last week, we presented ten statements to expose evaluation and IEP traps that often harm children with reading disabilities. Today, we’ll discuss the first five.

Agree or Disagree: For an evaluation to help a child, it should focus on testing the child with widely used standardized tests that compare him to other children of his age or grade.  Read more...

Evaluation and IEP Traps

From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

If your child is eligible for special education and you’re involved in developing his IEP, you may want to think about and respond to these statements. Next week we’ll post our responses.  Read more...

1. Agree or Disagree: For an evaluation to help a child, it should focus on testing the child with widely used standardized tests that compare him to other children of his age or grade.
2. Agree or Disagree: Schools should use a child’s test scores to determine the method(s) most likely to help her.

From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

No matter what laws, court rulings, or research studies say, inclusion is in danger of collapsing or becoming a hollow, ineffective, and perhaps harmful option for placing and educating children with disabilities. This is due, in part, to budget cuts and the corrosive effects of public policy on teachers.

First, we’ll list some of the more critical factors needed for inclusion to work. Then we’ll discuss how public policy is undermining them. Finally, we’ll suggest what you can do to support meaningful inclusion.  Read more...

Here are 15 guidelines that can strengthen the effectiveness of your advocacy.

1. Have your child evaluated by experts who can identify your child’s needs.

2. Make sure you understand his needs before you meet with school personnel to discuss his needs and possible interventions.

3. Make specific requests (in writing) for meeting his needs; support your requests with reports from well-credentialed experts, experts whom the school respects.

4. Treat people with respect, even if you disagree with them, even if they reject your requests.  Read more...

Nothing can ensure that your child’s IEP meeting will be productive. However, you can increase the odds that it will be. Here’s one way. Before the meeting, meet with your child’s case manager and agree on how the meeting should be organized. You have a right to do this as you’re an important member of the IEP Team.

Fortunately, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA-2004) and the format of the IEP offer an excellent sequence for developing the IEP. Unfortunately, the sequence is often ignored and critical parts of the IEP are given the short shrift.  Read more...