lawyer for C IEP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting thread, as we've been weighing whether we need an advocate as our DS transitions to middle school. On the one hand, our IEP discussions as a team really are pretty free-wheeling and there is a lot of good collaboration that's taken place. Whenever we've suggested accommodations, they've almost always been granted.

On the other hand...DS is still way behind in some areas and has met few goals, although he's made progress. The team is rarely proactive. I often have the feeling that there are various interventions/approaches that could be tried but that we don't know about and that they keep in reserve. I also worry that engaging an advocate will make things go much more "by the book" than they currently are. We have pretty free, honest communication with the team and DS's teachers. Part of me fears that hiring an advocate will put a stop to that and actually be detrimental.

I'm a teacher - and hiring an advocate most likely will change the relationship. But that is not always a bad thing. Your child comes first and you are just protecting his interests. Just make sure that if you do go that route, you find an advocate that is respectful of the teachers and everything should be fine. I've had some experiences with advocates that are really soul sucking. The good ones have a great way of creating a positive fruitful environment. It sounds like you already have a good relationship with your team so with right person could maybe help find different approaches than what is being done now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting thread, as we've been weighing whether we need an advocate as our DS transitions to middle school. On the one hand, our IEP discussions as a team really are pretty free-wheeling and there is a lot of good collaboration that's taken place. Whenever we've suggested accommodations, they've almost always been granted.

On the other hand...DS is still way behind in some areas and has met few goals, although he's made progress. The team is rarely proactive. I often have the feeling that there are various interventions/approaches that could be tried but that we don't know about and that they keep in reserve. I also worry that engaging an advocate will make things go much more "by the book" than they currently are. We have pretty free, honest communication with the team and DS's teachers. Part of me fears that hiring an advocate will put a stop to that and actually be detrimental.

Have you met with the special ed team at the middle school? That should tell you a lot right there. The special ed team at my kid's middle school was light years ahead of the team at the elementary level. Just meeting with them might give you enough reassurance that you don't need an advocate. It worked for me.

[Anonymous]

A lawyer is not necessary if you have a strong psychiatrist who can attend and explain diagnosis and testing results. We did that and had no problem.

I disagree with 12:54 in the case of FCPS. While many people on the board seemed sympathetic, an uninvited member of the school's disability team showed up and started fighting the IEP without even having looked at the paperwork. OUr psychiatrist mowed her down. I truly believe some of the FCPS schools' disability personnel have been told to act as gatekeepers and keep kids from getting the legal resources they are entitled to. This is well known among the parents - hence the need in some cases to "lawyer up". A pity really. But consider bringing in your psychiatrist, tester, psychologist, tutor - that might be a more inexpensive approach and equally effective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I attended a free session last night by Brian Gruber, a special ed lawyer and hosted by MCCPTA. It was my first time attending a session like this, as we're at the very beginning of the process.

I was very impressed by his approach and did not think it was at all adversarial - in fact, it was the opposite.

His info is below. There are some other threads on this too that are older you may want to search.

The next MCCPTA Special Education Committee meeting will be held
on Monday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at the Carver Educational
Services Center (Board of Education offices).

There will be a free presentation on IEPs by Brian K. Gruber, Esq.

Mr. Gruber will be sharing his unique perspective and expertize with the group.



~ ~ ~
Brief Bio

Brian K. Gruber heads up the Law Office of Brian K. Gruber, P.C., a Bethesda-based law firm whose entire practice is dedicated to school law. Mr. Gruber has been representing children with special needs and their parents since 1997. Mr. Gruber is well known in special education circles as a persuasive advocate who often is able to obtain the desired outcome for his clients without having to resort to adversarial, and costly litigation.

Mr. Gruber has participated in well over 1000 IEP meetings, and more than 300 special education meditations and due process hearings in four states. Mr. Gruber , has argued special education cases before the 4 Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States District Courts for Maryland and the District of Columbia. In 2003, Mr. Gruber was admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Gruber is a frequent speaker in professional and academic circles including the 2013 LDA conference. In February, 2014, Mr. Gruber will be one of the speakers on the opening day of the LDA conference in Anaheim, California. Mr. Gruber has conducted trainings for the Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, and the Maryland Public Defenders Service, and has been a guest lecturer in graduate level special education programs at the George Washington University. Mr. Gruber is a member of the American Bar Association, LDAMC, WISER, and COPAA.
Mr. Gruber is married to a third-grade teacher and lives in Montgomery County, Maryland. Mr. Gruber’s children all attend public schools.

We used Brian Gruber after initially hiring
Another "top attorney for special ed".

Brian is excellent, professional and is an extraordinary
Communicator.

[Anonymous]

As someone who is part of IEP teams, I have had the experience of working with a few attorneys and several advocates that parents bring to support and represent them. Of the attorneys, I have also found Brian Gruber to be the most effective along with being respectful of all parties involved.

Sometimes when an attorney is hired, communication between the parents and the school team gets shut down, which is detrimental to the student. This has not happened with the families who have hired Brian Gruber in my experience.

[Anonymous]

OP here again.

The biggest concern I have is where they are going to place my child and if how much say I have in it. We shopped around for neighborhoods and schools when we bought our house and while I get that the local school can no longer accommodate DS, I don't want him going to school in Temple Hills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:.

. The special ed team at my kid's middle school was light years ahead of the team at the elementary level. Just meeting with them might give you enough reassurance that you don't need an advocate. It worked for me.

I wanted to say that this is my experience also. And HS has been even better.

[Anonymous]

My advice - get an advocate. While there are certainly dedicated special ed staff out there, the school does NOT necessarily have your or your child's best interest in mind. There are political, budgetary, and other internal concerns that may or may not impact how robust your 504 or IEP is. Don't be naive. Yes, it may change the tenor of the meeting, but it shouldn't make it adversarial. If it does, then you know you made the right call.