Education Advocacy for Parents Workshop Series

Sinergia is offering a comprehensive three-week workshop series to help parents understand their rights, learn about special education issues and learn how to navigate the special education system in New York City in order to be effective advocates for their children. Parents will be provided with information on a variety of issues relating to special education.

All workshops are offered twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 AM- 1 PM and are free of charge to parents of children with disabilities.

The following is a breakdown of the topics that are discussed:

I. Workshop One
A. Introduction and Overview of Series
B. What is an advocate: Role, Responsibilities and Ethics
C. IDEA and the Rights of Parents of Children with Disabilities: The Six Principles of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act
D. The New York City Special Education Structure: Offices and Personnel You Should Know

II. Workshop Two
A. The Continuum of Special Education Services
B. Special Education Services in New York City
C. The Special Education Process
1. Early Intervening Services, Response to Intervention and Prereferral Strategies
2. Child Find and Referral for Special Education services
3. Evaluation/Classification
-Purpose, Personnel, Roles and Responsibilities
-Understanding the Evaluation and Classification Process
-Disability Categories
4. Placement Issues

III. Workshop Three
A. The IEP Process
1. Components of the IEP
2. How to design a quality IEP: The parent as a member of the IEP team
3. How to prepare for an IEP meeting

IV. Workshop Four
A. Early Childhood: Birth to Three
1. Early Intervention and the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
2. Transition to Preschool and transition to kindergarten
3. Transition to Adulthood: Procedures and Services
B. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Law and Special Education

V. Workshop Five
A. NYCDOE Discipline Policies and Children in Special Education
B. Sec 504 Remedies
C. The Dispute Resolution Process- Part One: Filing a Complaint

VI. Workshop Six
A. The Dispute Resolution Process- Part Two
1. Mediation presentation by Michelle Kirschbaum from Safe Horizon
2. The Impartial Hearing and the Resolution Session
B. End of Series Celebration

Registration for this FREE workshop series is limited! Please call Godfrey Rivera at 212 643-2840, ext. 307 or e-mail at grivera@sinergiany.org.

To see the full calendar click here.