Bu ilding

by Alyssa Quintero

Whether it’s your first Individualized Educational Plan or your 10th, it never hurts to add some valuable tips to your IEP tool- Puzzle kit. Here are words of advice from parents and experts.

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Tip 1 — Be the best advocate you can be.

“You can do a lot to improve the quality of your child’s life and education, and there’s no higher calling,” says Tina Riley of Jay, Maine, whose son, Bryan, 6, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). “Do your homework, and know as much as you can about your child’s disease and special education laws.”

Knowledgeable parents have more credibility with school staff and, when necessary, can challenge the school’s recommendations more successfully.

Where do you get this kind of knowledge? You can’t always rely on school authorities to know the answers or even share information, cautions Stephenie Och of Swanville, Minn., whose son Ethan, 9, has type 2 spinal muscular atrophy.

Och works closely with a county social worker who provides her with relevant reading material and attends Ethan’s IEP meetings.

Learn how to be a better advocate by attending parent workshops and conferences, advises Pat Howey, a special education advocate based in West Point, Ind. She recommends the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates’ annual national conference.

Other resources include special education attorneys, books, the Internet, and your local MDA health care services coordinator and MDA support group members (see page 51).

Each state also has a Parent Information Center; they go by different names, so contact your state department of education or district special education office for more information.

Tips for building

effective IEPs and

improving your child’s

educational experience