Parent to Parent of Georgia

How to Be a Good Educational Advocate for Your Child:
Tips for Parents

Get Involved, Be Informed:

Know the facts of your child (his or her strengths and weaknesses). Ask those who work first-hand with your child in the school to help you understand your child’s performance. If your child has a disability, learn all you can about it and how it may affect your child in school.
Know your educational rights and legal procedures to ensure those rights.
Be familiar with your school. Get to know teachers, therapists and other personnel. Build positive relationships and contribute to the school environment. Find out who makes the decisions about your child.

Keep Complete and Accurate Records:

Make your requests in writing; a handwritten note is fine but keep copies of everything you send.
Also keep copies of everything you get from the school
Get Return Receipt Requested on important documents mailed to the school.
Keep a record of important conversations: date, time, name and position of person, decisions.
Ask for written confirmation of what is promised to you.
Organize your records in a notebook

Prepare for All Meetings:

Problem solve before the meeting, if you identify helpful solutions, you have a better chance for success.
Determine the purpose of the meeting and be aware of any legal requirements of the meeting (timely notification, school personnel required attendance, etc.)
If the meeting is to address a problem with your child, get the real story; do not rely on second-hand information
Prioritize what you want to accomplish. Be selective. Agree on an agenda before the meeting.
Bring materials that will help you get your point across: evaluations, report cards, evidence of your child performance, records, copies of the law or guidebooks.
Bring someone to help you at the meeting. Advocates and professionals outside the school environment are good, but it can be a friend who knows your child well.
Write down your questions and keep your focus during the meeting.
Call to confirm your meeting the day before.

Use Meeting Time Effectively:

Always be polite and courteous. Arrive on time.
Show gratitude for the good things and special efforts have been made.
Keep eye contact with decision makers. Take notes, or have a friend take notes while you listen.
Say what you want in your own words. Be clear, concise.
Ask questions! And make sure you get answers.
Don’t rush to make decision or feel pressured to discuss something not on the meeting agenda.
Take breaks when needed to refocus or cool down.
Conclude meetings with an action plan that has deadlines.
Get a written summary of the action plan and participants of the meeting.

Use Available Resources

Follow the proper chain of command.
If you are having trouble resolving a problem, find out if other parents share your concerns and present your concerns as a group.
Talk with other parents and advocates about what works and what does not. Learn from each other’s experiences.
Look for resources that may help.
Be firm about timelines, but patient enough for the school district to accomplish what it needs within those timelines.

Remember:

YOU are an expert on your child.
Focus on the problem, not the people. Avoid getting sidetracked by personal conflicts. Bring the focus back to your child. Give the school time to address the problems
Use your own words to explain your concerns.
Focus on solving the problem, not mistakes made in the past.
Be flexible and creative; you may find mutually agreeable solutions. Problem solve together!
Remember what is truly important to you and your child and work toward it!



	HIGHLIGHTS School systems are responsible for assuring that transition planning becomes a component of the IEP beginning at age 14; however, it may be necessary to start transition planning much earlier in order to allow the student to achieve meaningful post-school outcomes. (From the Georgia Department of Education's Transition Manual) Read more about the topic in the Roadmap Transition section.