An educational advocate, also known as a parent advocate, child advocate, student advocate, or independent advocate, assists parents of students with disabilities in navigating the complex world of special education. This brief guide will help parents: (1) ask interview questions that will help get an understanding of an advocate's approach to…

Navigating the parenting role is tricky at the best of times but, finding one's way with a child that has special needs is even more demanding and difficult. This is a path that may not have been traveled by family and friends. Loneliness, disappointment, frustration, and a sense of failure can make the journey miserable. The challenges can become…

In their last column, the authors described a Gold Standard School--a place in which all children thrive including the gifted and talented. The Checklist for a Gold Standard School, which is included in this article, highlights the main characteristics of such a school including a focus on continuous progress, talent development, policies that…

Parents of deaf and hard of hearing children in the special education system may feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they need to learn. This article aims to give parents a place to begin in the effort to work with the school to ensure that their child receives an appropriate education. There are three broad areas that parents need to be…

Too often, parents of children with disabilities come with negative expectations about the intentions of the teachers and administrators who are proposing an education plan for their son or daughter. In preparation, they arm themselves with advocates, lawyers, and a myriad of outside evaluations in preparation for the "battle" ahead. In…

The article provides information to assist parent advocates in improving gifted education, suggesting that you should: know yourself and where you stand; know what you are facing; know the law; know who's who in the school system; and know when, where, and how to contact people in education. (JDD)

The mother of a handicapped child recounts her development of assertiveness skills in the interests of her child. She discusses needing to be constantly alert during her child's infancy, dealing with her own feelings of grief and guilt, fighting for her son's rights against bureaucratic obstacles, and learning the appropriate times to exercise…

This article provides profiles of five sets of parents of precociously developing youth of various ages. The parents explain issues they have faced and problems solved. These include advantages and disadvantages of living in an international community, use of community resources, educational placement, acceleration, and parent advocacy. (Contains…

Efforts to locate missing children have expanded from a federal law allowing for entry of information into an F.B.I. computer system to companion bills before Congress for establishing a national missing child clearinghouse and a Justice Department center to help in conducting searches. Private organizations are also involved. (KS)

This brief guide for parents of children with disabilities offers tips on being the child's advocate. Parents are first urged to believe in their child, believe in their own intuition, and educate themselves. They are also encouraged to: (1) document events and encounters including both objective facts and subjective response, (2) document and…

The booklet presents information to help parents raise their gifted and/or creative preschool children. M. Sapon-Shevin and M. Shevin, in "Issues for Parents: Implications of the 'Gifted' Label," review the functions of labels, describe the educational needs of gifted children, and suggest ways in which parents can act as advocates. In "Issues for…

This paper outlines parents' legal rights under Public Law 99-457 concerning early intervention services for young children with hearing impairments. Parents are urged to advocate for early intervention services appropriate to their children's needs. A list of five organizational resources is provided. (JDD)

This article provides suggestions on becoming an advocate for change in the educational services offered to a gifted child. The article emphasizes the importance of researching the situation before meeting with teachers and administrators, understanding the legal and political issues involved, networking with other parents, and formulating a…

The Parent Advocacy Network is designed to develop in parents of handicapped children strategies for being a mediator and/or an advocate with the schools. Such an approach focuses on parents' need for information, self confidence, and understanding of ways to assume power in school decisionmaking. (CL)

This guide provides parents of children with special needs information on opportunities to develop and apply leadership skills in Colorado. Introductory material considers the nature of parent leadership, the various roles of parent leaders, and ways to learn leadership skills. The next section describes specific parent leadership opportunities at…