VERY IMPORTANT INFO!

[Guest guest]

I did'nt get the chance to bring up the Summit Speech School and

was told nothing would get resolved today because they did not have the

authority to change their program just for my son. We would have to go to the

director of special services and plee our case. They were very offended that

we thought their program was not WONDERFULL. I said many times I thought

their program was wonderfull and I'm sure they had great success but that it

did'nt fit my son's needs.

,

I am so sorry you had such a rough time!!!! What you said above is the

essence of the problem with special education right now. Your son is

ENTITLED to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). It is also

required to be an INDIVIDUALIZED Education Plan (IEP) that has been

specifically designed for HIS NEEDS!! What they said to you is downright

ILLEGAL!! Did you tape the meeting by any chance? If not, start a paper

trail. You are entitled to " prior written notice, " so write down what you

want and why you want it, send it certified mail, receipt requested, and they

will have to answer you in writing with their reasons for not giving you what

you want!! Last time I was sending my child study team a certified letter, I

ran into the Superintendent of Schools on line at the post office!

I also want to get you started with the research you will need to do. It is

time for you to become an expert. The following resources will help you do

just that! You can e-mail Ted Sussan, of Sussan and Greenwald (a well known

and feared special ed. law firm) with your specific questions with no

obligation to hire. Just click on this link

" http://www.special-ed-law.com/ " Sussan & Greenwald, Esqs.,

Special Education Attorneys. He will get back to you within 24 hours. Also,

there is a New Jersey sight for special ed. law. Here is the link for that

http://forums.delphi.com/sussangreenwald/messages "

Special Education in New Jersey. You can research your rights at the

law website by clicking this link

HREF= " http://www.wrightslaw.com/ " >slaw - Special Education Law &

Advocacy. Or read directly from the NJ Dept. of Ed. site at this link

HREF= " http://www.state.nj.us/njded/specialed/index.html " NJ

Dept. of Education. The preschool/special ed. coordinator from the NJ Dept.

of Ed. is there is Barbara Tkach and can be reached at (609) 984-4950. For

more live help, you can contact SPAN at this link

" http://search.aol.com/redirect.adp?appname=QBP & query=%32%8a%7d%a7%b8%65%19%c3%8\

b%96%50%55%5f%77%e3%ed%ac%92%62%ce%7c%b2%d3%18%c2%d0%3a%f6%43%2e%b0%c7%4b%89%2e%\

33%0d%06%00%b1%2e%d6%e3%6f%ac%ec%c3%f8%ed%f7%96%43%75%da%9c%eb%36%12%d5%5b%46%95\

%53%fe%d7%31%a3%44%12%78%6b%8f%a7%10%c6%fd%c2%51%54%f9%d4%7a%15%2f%10%a6%eb%b6%8\

1%a7%c3%5b%6e%a0%0b%d0%a9%79%1a%cc%75%af%f6%5d " >Statewide Parent Advocacy

Network, Inc., serving families throughout the state or call them at (973)

642-8100.

Don't panic ... just get to work as time is of the essence. Keep your

positive attitude and you pleasant demeanor, but remember ... with knowledge

comes POWER!!!!!

E-mail if you need ANYTHING!

Stacey