Effective Advocacy Rachna S. Heizer POAC-NOVA meeting February 25, - PDF document

Effective Advocacy Rachna S. Heizer POAC-NOVA meeting February 25, 2017 Effective Advocacy Rachna S. Heizer POAC-NOVA meeting February 25, 2017 Two t types o of a advocacy 1. For your child – school, community – doctors, therapists, extracurricular activities 2. Political – advocating for policies, whether at school or in community Schools are often more willing to help you if they see you are willing to help others. Schools will help your child if you think you will help them improve education for all and if they see you as a team player. Two types of problems in advocating: 1. Complaining too much without offering solutions 2. Thinking you need to be everyone’s friend. You are not there to make friends but you are there to be part of a team. Do your part. Be passionate about your child but not emotional. For or Y Your C Chil ild:  ABILITY focused LONG TERM thinking: Be honest about your child’s needs but keep the conversation ability focused first. What can they do and what do we need to do so they can shine at what they can do? Talk long term – productive members of society. Be reasonable. Show others through your actions and words why they should also be ability focused.  Knowledge is power – learn the law, know your child’s rights, know the verbiage, know the diagnosis and therapies and goals.  Laws: IDEA, ESSA, ADA, Public Accommodation laws  Important legal things to know in an IEP meeting. 1. IDEA requires each child to be educated in their least restrictive environments. Section 504 and IDEA also require FAPE- an individualized educational program 2. that is designed to meet the child's unique needs and from which the child receives educational benefit, and prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living.  Community: Public accommodation laws: Most states/counties/cities have public accommodations laws that require places “that are open to the public” to provide reasonable accommodations to include people with disabilities. Places open to the public include dance, sports, and music studios. While this has traditionally meant wider 1

Effective Advocacy Rachna S. Heizer POAC-NOVA meeting February 25, 2017 doors and hallways, the law also applies to non-physical disabilities. Here is the link to Fairfax County’s laws regarding disabilities. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/dspd/legal_resources.htm  IDEA : If aides, supplementary materials or supports can help allow the child to be educated in the least restrictive environment, the school must provide them. The school cannot use “ as category of disability, significance of disability, availability of special education and related services, configuration of the service delivery system, availability of space, or administrative convenience” as reasons to deny a child access to the least restrictive environment. “each student’s IEP forms the basis for the placement decision.” NOT THE AVAIL ABILITY OF CURRENT PROGRAMMING. http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/iep.law.appendixa.htm  Be empowered but be respectful . Be professional.  Don’t be afraid. You are the expert: You know your child the best. Trust your gut. You are the most knowledgeable person when it comes to your child’s needs but respect the knowledge  Don’t believe authorities just because they tell you. Ask for documentation of policies.  Use team oriented language and be willing to do your part.  Be polite and calm and reasonable but remember you are not there to make friends. It does not matter if they LIKE you as long as they RESPECT you but are also slightly AFRAID of you.  Pick your battles.  IEP meetings – YOU have to sign. Don’t ever feel pressured to sign  Teachers/staff – don’t take no for an answer if you don’ t feel something is right.  Observe the classroom. Set up regular meetings with teachers to discuss. OFFER HELP and collaboration. State want to collaborate with school as per FCPS stated goals.  Know your listener, their goals and priorities. Speak to what matters to them as much as you do as to what matters to you . Frame your arguments in terms of what matters to your listener as well as what matters to you. Use their own goals to achieve your goals.  Numbers speak louder than words. Use statistics in your argument.  Keep going above heads if at first you don’t succeed. Don’t take no for an answer . But don’t skip levels in chain of command  Keep going up the chain of command but be careful in picking your battles. DON’T ASSUME WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY CAN’T, IT TRULY MEANS THEY CAN’T.  Be passionate but also be logical. Take the time to write and think through your case. Approach from a logical and reasonable stance rather than just pure emotion. But don’t forget to bring in the personal story about your child. Tie it to greater benefits (ie people are much more willing to listen if you also describe how the change you want will benefit others). Show how you are willing to help.  If this is hard for you, take a friend. Make notes beforehand of important points so you don’t get sidetracked. 2

Effective Advocacy Rachna S. Heizer POAC-NOVA meeting February 25, 2017  Cc everyone! If you email the principal and do not get a response, go up the chain while simultaneously cc’ing up the chain when following up again with the principal or teacher.  Retaliation : Once they know people above them are on notice, risk of retaliation drops. It’s those who they think won’t go beyond the sch ool that they are more willing to retaliate against.  Document – send follow up emails or confirmation emails. Follow up if you don’t get immediate responses.  Where to get help beyond your child’s school  School Hierarchy: Regions: Above your school’s princ ipal is the Executive Principal, who works with his/her boss – the Regional Assistant Superintendent. FCPS is split into 5 Regions, each with their own Executive Principal and Regional Assistant Superintendent. Reach out to them if you can resolve issues at the school level. Simultaneously, you can reach out to your school board member. Follow up if you don’t get an immediate response – these are busy people.  Region 1: https://www.fcps.edu/department/region-1  Region 2: https://www.fcps.edu/department/region-2  Region 3: https://www.fcps.edu/department/region-3  Region 4: https://www.fcps.edu/department/region-4  Region 5: https://www.fcps.edu/department/region-5  Department of Special Services (DSS) - https://www.fcps.edu/department/department- special-services Jane Lipp Asst. Superintendent. OSEI – Office of Special Education Instruction – FCPS Special Ed Central office staff. Can call them to come help with issues at a school. Irene Meier, Director. https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic- overview/special-education-instruction and https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/special-education- instruction/special-education-instruction-contact  Instructional Services Department – (ISD) in charge of gen ed instruction. https://www.fcps.edu/department/instructional-service-department  Chief Academic officer – above both the Regions and DSS (and responsible for coordinating between ISD and DSS) https://www.fcps.edu/department/chief-academic- officer Advocatin ing f for change o of p poli licie ies – school l or communit ity 1. Combination of asking for broader change framed by your personal story and statistics. Make it easy for them to understand the broader problem and solution for many.  Personal stories are key. It is what catches attention. But be careful to not go on and on about your story. i. Don’t ask them to fix your personal issue. This is not the forum for that. ii. This is about the broader issue. iii. Do not ramble about your personal story. It is just a conduit. 3