As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher. You are their voice too! And when it comes to advocating for your
child there is nothing you won’t do.
When you attend your child’s ARD meeting, you represent your child’s
future and interests. This meeting is a negotiation. The biggest pitfall I see happening is
parents not fully understanding their child’s disability and relying on other
people to ensure their child is receiving a Free Appropriate Public Education. You must understand your child’s disability
in order to advocate for your child.
This does not mean you have to become a doctor or lawyer in the process
of learning about the disability. It
does mean you are your child’s voice, so learn the facts about how to best help
your child. Do not expect the school and
the staff to know everything there is about your child’s disability. You may be the only ARD committee member
coming to the table with the knowledge of the disability. You will have spent countless hours with your
child over the school personnel. That
makes you an expert on your child and you should advocate as such. Next, you will never know if you will be able
to get something for your child if you do not ask. So always start by asking for what you want
for your child. Make sure you have goals
in mind for not just the present, but where you want to see your child in the
future as well. As early as
Kindergarten, you should be planning what the transition for your child to exit
High School will look like, then work backwards to make sure you have secured
every bridge along the way.
As in any negotiation, you may not always get everything
you want. Prioritize and remember to
keep calm. As a voice for your child,
you have to remain calm, cool, and collected to get the best results. You are still dealing with other humans, and
we all have opinions and emotions. Send
follow up emails that high light the minutes of the meeting while thanking the
school personnel for their time and diligence in helping your child. This serves two ends – a thank you and a
paper trail. Keep your message short,
factual and non-emotional. Always keep
copies of your documentation.
Advocating for your
child is an important job and you are the expert on knowing your child!
You are your child’s voice and best teacher!
The Ramage Law Group has authoritative solutions for special needs children!
