Customer Reviews

Wrightslaw: Special Education Law

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Effective special education advocacy begins with knowledge. Peter and Pamela Wright are nationally known for their litigation and educational advocacy skills. This new work is a substantial contribution to any parent's or attorney's tool box.

The book and detailed index place a great deal of information in a compact, lie-flat, graphically pleasing volume. It provides more than 370 pages of the fundamental statutes, regulations, and U.S. Supreme Court decisions that weave the matrix of IDEA special education law and Section 504 law, as well as providing the educational record keeping rules of FERPA.

The authors introduce each basic source material with "overview chapters" to assist a lay reader. One of the best features of the book is the insertion of editorial content by the authors immediately adjacent to various statutory sections of text of IDEA. For example, on pages 76-77, the authors advise on the confusing area of manifestation determination reviews, suspension or expulsion, and interim alternative education settings.

As a practicing attorney advocate for children with special education needs, my interest in special education law began with one of my daughters, a child with a disability."Wrightslaw: Special Education Law" differs from other compilations, which bury the raw statutes in fine print in an appendix at the back of the book. It is an intelligent selection of the mandatory laws presented in a readable font and organized with user-friendly editorial overviews and commentary. With this new book, parents and attorneys have the actual law at their fingertips to dispell misinformation and (sadly) disinformation from administrators in local school systems.The Wrights have made a terrific contribution in assembling so much important material.

Reviewed by Malcolm B. Higgins,II. Law Offices of Malcolm B.Higgins,II, Virginia Beach, Va.

This is a great resource, putting all the laws, rules and regulations that are relevant to special education in one handy place. In addition to the actual copies of laws, notation of relevant case law is a really useful addition. Overviews of the laws/regulations and commentary are extremely helpful.

This book is a valuable resource for school psychologists, and it is required reading for my graduate course covering legal and ethical issues for school psychologists in training. Knowing the regulations and the law will help professionals plan programs that meet the needs of children and the requirements of the law.

I recommend it highly for parents, also. Parents are many times at a disadvantage because they do not know the law. With this book as a reference parents can be a fully participating member of the special education team.

I am a parent of a child who five years ago, was illegally denied services by his high school and because of the fighting between parents and school adiminstration, our son wound up being expelled for behavior associated with his disorder. Out of that situation, I have devoted my life to helping parents of children with Attention Deficit Disorder, to make sure this does not happen to their child. I have accumulated years woth of documents on the legal aspects of advocating for your child. This book, eliminates the need for me to have those files. It is consise, to the point, realistic, and based on sound legal advice, and the best advice I have ever seen relative to Special Education. As an active advocate, on a nationwide basis, for children with Attention Deficit Disorder, this is now the first book I go to to get help from. This is not just another rehash of old ideas. I don't think you need this book. I know you need this book.

As a parent of a child with autism, I have faced many struggles.
Working with the public school system to provide my son an appropriate education has been the hardest struggle by far. I have read Wrightslaw: Special Ed Law and From Emotions to Advocacy by Peter Wright and have found them to be an invaluable resource for parents of special needs children. As with any disability, parents must educate themselves in order to help their child. These books are loaded with information that is essential for parents who wants to be strong advocates. I recommend these books to every parent who has a child in the public school system.

Having observed first-hand Peter Wright's prowess in a hearing, I was more than anxious to review his book. As usual, he and his wife, Pam, have brought the complexities of Special Education Law into focus through their clear and concise use of normal human language. This is a must have book for anyone who works in the field of Special Education.

What a wonderful resource for parents, their advocates and attorneys who need fast references and quick answers to special education legal problems!

As a special education attorney who has represented children with disabilities for many years, I can tell you this is a resource that is truly "one of a kind." The feature I like the best are the Wrightslaw "indented" notes throughout the special education regulations. Just an example- one new and confusing issue is whether public schools must provide services to disabled children who attend parochial schools. Pete and Pam sum it up nicely on page 44 where an "indent" gives the reader the basic rule and warns the reader about the changing case law in this area.

This overall review of the law with comments is long overdue and a desperately needed resource for many parents. It is simple, understandable and handy to keep in one's briefcase. Knowing that this self-help resource is "out there" for parents and their advocates during a time when special education attorneys are in short supply and problems are many, helps me worry less about the 105,000 children with special education needs in Minnesota whose names and needs I will never know. That the book includes the 1997 revision of the IDEA and its regulations is only ice cream on the cake.

Sonja Kerr, Esq.

Pete Wright is the attorney who turned things around in special education by winning the famous "Shannon Carter" case holding that parents did not have to wait for lethargic or negligent school districts to help their children. Carter held that the parents could place the child at an out of district school and get reimbursment later, whether the school they chose was approved by state or local authorities or not.

I am an attorney who has handled literally hundreds of these special education matters.Be this book, I would have to carry an armful of materials to a hearing or an IEP meeting. Now its all in one paperback volume.

It is also in language the non-lawyer can understand. (and even lawyers). It is also laced with the Wright's wisdom from their many years as pioneers in this specialized field of law.

Don't go to a hearing or school IEP meeting without it.

Reviewed by William Laviano, Esq. Laviano Law Offices P.C. Ridgefield, Ct.

This book is a must have if you have a child with special needs. It is the most comprehensive book around for helping your child get an education! I call it my special education bible. If you can only afford one book to help you through the special education maze, this is the ONE to buy!

Sissy

This book is extremely well written, concise and incredibly practical. As a parent of a special needs child, my copy is dogeared with tons of stickies coming out the sides and highlighted paragraphs throughout. The unraveling of caselaw portions and the clear writing style help you understand the nuances of special ed law, expectations you can have, how to be smarter in and out of an IEP meeting, and how not to be bushwacked. It has the good stuff, but doesn't skip on the real language either. Well balanced with nothing fluffy. I'd rather lose my dayrunner than my copy of Wrightslaw.

This book, is THE guide to protecting your child and making sure he receives the special education services that he needs. The author's give some VERY good, sound advice throughout the book. Just having the laws handy makes it worth the price, the legal commentaries are just the icing on the cake. It it the best book I have bought and highly recommended to anyone who has a special needs child. Whether you are familiar with the laws or not, you should own this book. There is also a companion strategy guide available from the same publisher that is very good. And there is also a Advocate's Guide coming out soon from the same author's and I will buy that as soon as it is released. Knowledge is power. The best way to help your kids is to learn as much as you can. This book is your best resource to do that.