Special Ed Advocacy: Nine Rules of Thumb
In this article, you will find:
Rule four
Rule Four: Prioritize Your Issues
In any student's life some needs and issues demand more attention than others. Sensible advocacy includes understanding the order of importance of each of your child's needs and which services or elements of a program can be de-emphasized to achieve the greater goal. If you want the school system to pay for an outside placement, are you willing to provide transportation or pay for some additional service not available at the outside placement to settle the conflict? Of course, the answer to these questions depends on the strength of your case, how urgent the needs are, your financial circumstances, and other factors. However, understanding the priorities and being willing to give up something often helps resolve a case and helps preserve the relationship between school system and family.