Wrightslaw: Tactics & Strategy Manual

(ISBN: 1-892320-18-5; 140 pages, $19.95, published January 2000)

"Pete and Pam Wright teach parents everything we need to know to advocate for our children. You tell us what not to waste our time on – and what really matters."

Summary

Managing a child's special education is confusing and frustrating for most parents. Good special education services are individualized, intensive - and expensive. Schools often balk at providing intensive services. What can parents do?

Parents who use tactics and strategies learn to anticipate problems, manage conflict, and avoid crises. If they have a dispute with the school, tactics and strategy will help them control the outcome.

The Wrightslaw Tactics and Strategy Manual is divided into three sections: Identifying Obstacles and Problems; Using Tactics and Strategy to Resolve Problems; Learning About Special Education Law and Advocacy.

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Table of Contents

Section One: Obstacles & Problems
Chapter 1. Emergency! Crisis! HELP!
Chapter 2. From Emotions to Advocacy

Chapter 3. The Amazing Power of "School Culture"
Chapter 4. Understanding the Nature of Conflict

Section Two: Tactics & Strategy
Chapter 5. Tactics & Strategy: Overview
Chapter 6. Tactics & Strategy: Assumptions
Chapter 7. Tactics & Strategy: Image and Presentation
Chapter 8. Tactics & Strategy: First Steps
Chapter 9. Tactics & Strategy: The Art of Writing Letters
Chapter 10. Tactics & Strategy: 12 Rules for Great Letters
Chapter 11. Tactics & Strategy: The "Letter to the Stranger"
Chapter 12. Tactics & Strategy: School Meetings

Section Three: Legal & Advocacy
Chapter 13. Representing the Special Education Child
Chapter 14. Anatomy of a Case
Chapter 15. Carter: U.S. District Court Decision
Chapter 16. Carter: Fourth Circuit Decision
Chapter 17. Carter: U. S. Supreme Court Decision

Appendices
Meet Pete Wright
About the Authors

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Reviews

"A week ago, I thought I would have to go to law school at night, just to protect my grandson’s rights. Then I found your site and your books - and became one of your biggest fans." 

"When I read the Tactics & Strategy Manual, I saw our situation on every page. Although we have shot ourselves in the foot more than once, I also learned that we’ve done some things right." 

"Pete and Pam Wright teach parents everything we need to know to advocate for our children. You tell us what not to waste our time on – and what really matters."

"Thanks for the good advice and strategy options in the Tactics & Strategy Manual. We took your advice – and sometimes the law works as intended. Now it’s time to write those follow-up letters as you strongly urge!" 

"Pete and Pam Wright have started little fires all around the country. This couldn’t happen without the Internet. But even with the Internet, it wouldn’t happen without the Wrights and the Wrightslaw site. Thank you!" 

"My two children have been in special education for years. I learned to be an effective advocate for them with information from your books, articles, and website. Now I am using information from your Tactics & Strategy Manual to help others. Thank you!"

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Free Downloads: Sample Chapters

"Free Downloads" of book chapters gives you a chance to review our books and publications. After you read a chapter or two, you’ll know if they meet your needs. Here are three files from the Tactics & Strategy Manual. All files are in pdf so you need Adobe Reader (free software) to read the chapters.

Table of Contents [toc_wrightslaw_tactics.pdf]

Chapter 1: Emergency! Crisis! HELP! [ch1_wrightslaw_tactics.pdf]

Chapter 3: The Amazing Power of School Culture [ch3_wrightslaw_tactics.pdf]

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Orders

You can order a copy of the Wrightslaw Tactics and Strategy Manual from Harbor House Law Press. (Retail: $19.95)

Or you can download the Wrightslaw Tactics and Strategy Manual from the Harbor House site– and save $9.00! The digital version of the Tactics & Strategy Manual costs $14.95 – a savings of $5.00! And you save another $3.95 on shipping and handling fees.

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Related Products

Wrightslaw: Special Education Law (ISBN: 1-892320-03-7; 386 pages; published November 1999)

List:

$29.95 (Standard edition) $39.95 (Deluxe edition with Legal Companion CD-ROM)

If you are the parent, family member or advocate of a child with a disability, you need to understand the child’s right to a free appropriate education and the rights and responsibilities of parents and schools.

If you are a teacher or special education provider, you’ve probably received confusing, conflicting information about the special education laws. This information may be inaccurate, incomplete – or wrong.

Parents, teachers, and advocates need to know what the law says about evaluations, reevaluations, independent evaluations, and eligibility decisions. You need to know what the law says about IEPs, IEP teams, IEP meetings, placement decisions, mainstreaming, inclusion, and least restrictive environment. You need to know what the law says about discipline, suspensions, expulsions, mediation, due process hearings, confidentiality, and other hot topics.

Get answers to your questions in Wrightslaw: Special Education Law.