Parent Advocacy
You are the expert on your child.
Sometimes, when trying to help our children, the process can be frustrating, confrontational and simply overwhelming. As the expert on your child, you know what the issues are. You know where your child is frustrated and struggling. You know how long homework takes and how hard your child is working.
Sometimes as parents, we need help using the right vocabulary to ask for what our child needs. (What's an IEP/504?)
Sometimes we need help understanding and navigating the various systems and processes (What's a SST and why do I want one?)
Sometime we don't even know who to ask for help from. (Teacher? Principal? I always try to build my team with the teacher first.)
The following information is provided for your research and understanding as I work on building some simplified FAQ's.
Sometimes, when trying to help our children, the process can be frustrating, confrontational and simply overwhelming. As the expert on your child, you know what the issues are. You know where your child is frustrated and struggling. You know how long homework takes and how hard your child is working.
Sometimes as parents, we need help using the right vocabulary to ask for what our child needs. (What's an IEP/504?)
Sometimes we need help understanding and navigating the various systems and processes (What's a SST and why do I want one?)
Sometime we don't even know who to ask for help from. (Teacher? Principal? I always try to build my team with the teacher first.)
The following information is provided for your research and understanding as I work on building some simplified FAQ's.
Parent Advocacy
Alameda Specific information:
- Understood.org
- Parents Education Network - register for EdRev, a great event each Spring
- Wright's Law -Special Education Law & Advocacy
- NoLo Press - California specifics for the Individual Education Plan (IEP) Process
- Disability Rights California - Special Education Rights & Responsibility (SERR) Manual
- Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund- Parent training on the Special Education Process and Parent Advocacy for your child. Limited assistance available for advocacy & legal assistance.
Alameda Specific information:
- Alameda Unified School District Special Education Department
- Randhir Bains, Senior Director Special Education , 2060 Challenger Drive, Alameda, CA 94501.
- Phone: 510-337-7000, ext. 77098 (last verified 4/2/23)
- North Region SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area)
- North Region SELPA is a multi-district SELPA located in Northern Alameda County which includes Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emery and Piedmont Unified School Districts.
- Alameda Unified School District Special Education Parent Support Group