Do You Hear No From The School Without a Why?

Published: Tue, 02/12/19

Is it Easy For The School to Say No, but Never Why?

Have you been asking for something your child needs and you either get a straight No, or you don’t get any response?

Is the school proposing to change your child’s services or placement and you're like, WT*&#?

You may not be getting the explanation the district is required to give you – otherwise known as a Prior Written Notice – or in alphabet soup language, a PWN.

Watch the replay and learn when you are supposed to get Prior Written Notices, as in prior to what? Exactly what needs to be written in it and why in the heck it’s so darn important!

Is it Easy For The School to Say No, but Never Why?

Here's the link for your viewing pleasure. Click here.

I've been known to catch a podcast while I shower, how about you? Click here for the podcast.

Go ahead and pick and choose which of these Key Take-Aways you want to listen to. You can go to the specific time stamp in the video, or on the podcast. I'm just trying to make life a bit easier. :)

* When the school district proposes to either initiate or change

these things, you need to get a Prior Written Notice (PWN). 3:55

* The difference between your child's placement and location

of services - which one do you get input on? 5:04

* When the district refuses to initiate or change these aspects

of your child's education, you need to receive a PWN. 6:48

* When are you supposed to get the PWN, prior to what? 9:55

* What are the 7 items to be in the prior written notice? 15:21

* Why the PWN, just like the IEP needs to be specific. 25:40

* PWN must be given in the native language of the parent or

other mode of communication of the parent 32:11

* Any changes on IEP can't be implemented until you've

received the Prior Written Notice. 35:21

* Why do you need the prior written notice? 37:21

* I'll be having a fun IEP Scavenger Hunt for you this spring. 45:10

Here are some quotes from the recent The Art of Advocacy show about Prior Written Notice.

Always check with your state rules and regs because sometimes your state gives you even more rights than the federal law does.
Charmaine Thaner

When you're in IEP meetings and you make different requests like, "We need to increase the amount of speech and language services my child receives." And if the school district says, "No, we think the 30 minutes a week is appropriate." That would trigger a prior written notice being given to you.

Charmaine Thaner

As you go through the meeting you need to keep track of the things that you're requesting or the things that the district is proposing to change and all of that needs to be captured on the prior written notice.

Charmaine Thaner

I would say within three to five school days after your IEP meeting, if you haven't received a prior written notice then you want to send a letter requesting it. (see Resources below for the handout with a sample letter)

Charmaine Thaner

If you request an evaluation and the district is agreeing to do it evaluation, they need to write that in the prior written notice. (learn the 7 items required to be in a PWN, in the handout below)

Charmaine Thaner

If that district has a reputation of not sending paperwork to parents in a timely manner and parents kind of forget about it or don't really bring it up, then they get used to getting away with that kind of behavior.

Charmaine Thaner

Many times it does take you as the parent to be the IEP police and make sure that they're doing what they're supposed to be doing.

Charmaine Thaner

If the school doesn't give you the prior written notice right away, then they aren't supposed to implement any of the changes in the IEP right away either.

Charmaine Thaner

Here are some selected resources pertaining to your rights to receive Prior Written Notice.

1. Prior Written Notice Handout CLICK here.

To begin with, that word "Prior" can be confusing, we'll clear that up in the handout. Plus you'll learn what triggers the school having to give you a PWN, what 7 things must be in a PWN, and Why you need to get a PWN.

BONUS: Sample letter to request a PWN.

2. An example of a Prior Written Notice Form CLICK here.

More goodness coming your way!

• Thurs. Feb. 14th: Our 1st Facebook Watch Party! More details coming soon – that's code for, "I gotta make sure I have this FB Watch Party

stuff figured out first." :)

• Thurs. Feb. 21st: Stop School Suspensions and Increase Connections With Restorative Justice.
Lynn Lee, from Resolutionaires, Inc. is a Restorative Justice Facilitator and Trainer and will be sharing how Restorative Justice can allow students, teachers, parents, and administrators to come together, discuss a problem and come to a collective resolution.

These live shows are at Noon Mtn. Time, 2pm ET, 1pm CT, 11am PT.
We’ll be live at www.facebook.com/VisionsandVoicesTogether.
The replays will also be available.

See you soon!

P.S.

I believe it's time to reclaim the meaning of "That Parent." As our children our younger we model for them how to speak up. Each year we are less vocal and they are louder. Being That Parent is a good thing.

Get your reminder, Click here.

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