Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9780978711344
ISBN number: 0978711343
Label: Ithaca Press
Manufacturer: Ithaca Press
Page Count: 400
Printing Date: May 01, 2007
Publishing house: Ithaca Press
Sale Popularity Level: 522262
Studio: Ithaca Press
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Advocating for children with disabilities is a difficult and emotional process. The Special Education Battlefield: A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective Advocacy, written by Attorney Andrew Cuddy, is a wonderful reference for parents and advocates alike, with clear, concise explanations of each step of the process of advocating for children with disabilities. The Special Education Battlefield: A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective Advocacy takes the reader through the legal process of advocating for children with disabilities step-by-step, providing a wealth of information and resources to help make the process easier on those involved. The Special Education Battlefield: A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective Advocacy addresses the best way for children with different disabilities to get the services and benefits they deserve by using the legal process. Drawing on his years of experience in the field of advocating for children with disabilities, the author of The Special Education Battlefield: A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective Advocacy, Attorney Andrew Cuddy, has created a useful and timely guide for parents and advocates to use to navigate through due process hearings in addition to some of the other intricate legal processes involved with advocating for children with disabilities. Packed with resources for parents and lay advocates, The Special Education Battlefield: A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective Advocacy will become the foremost reference book in use for parents and lay advocates who are hoping to gain the best services and benefits for children with disabilities.
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Rated by buyers -
This is the very first book penned by Andrew Cuddy, an attorney based in New York state. After a legal career focusing on criminal law, Cuddy swung over to spec ed after realizing just how poor the outcome for people with disabilities can be without Pre K - 12 intervention. (Think "juvenile justice system.") Cuddy is in a position to offer a unique perspective and parents, advocates, and attorneys who represent children with special needs would do well to "Listen up!"
Cuddy knows school culture inside and out, and confronts it with knowledge and unique experience. For example, the author may be the very first to significantly focus on the "Mad Buffalo Syndrome," a term coined by the author to describe parents and advocates who use special education to seek attention--similar to Munchausen Syndrome, except with an education spin. And while you may feel he spends an inordinate amount of bandwidth on the topic, it's not something to dismiss. When an advocate's behavior descends to the extreme, using the child's disability for attention, it is problematic to a child's well being and education.
In The Special Education Battlefield, Cuddy shares personal stories, which enhance your understanding of the twists and turns of the special education and due process experience. This book will benefit parents, lay advocates, and attorneys as well, as the author explores diverse topics in a professional manner.
Do you know the Lodestar Formula and the parameters surrounding recovery of attorney fees? Are you familiar with compensatory services? Do you know the importance of keeping accurate records? Can you dissect an IEP? Are you familiar with the variety of disabilities that can affect your child's education? Should you be concerned about Child Protective Services?
He then swings fully into the nuts and bolts of the hearing itself, discussing mediation and resolution and settlement agreements along the way. Whether or not an attorney is onboard, you, the reader would do well to read this material more than once if due process is on the horizon (or even if it isn't), as you'll learn about the requirements and the powers of hearing officers, timelines, pre-hearing conferences, the hearing process, writing the closing brief, and appeals. Cuddy also devotes a section to describe the five types of attorneys. (Which one is more effective?)
When I review a book, I very first look at the Table of Contents, then I focus on a book's Index. I was mildly disappointed to find it missing. I encourage the author to include one in a future edition, as it's helpful for people like me who have an insatiable, driving need to dive into a book's content before reading the very first chapter. Also, the price of $40 may deter advocates and parents with limited incomes. But these points are minor compared with the information, resources, and expertise Cuddy includes. And an appointment with an attorney would definitely cost more than the price of this book. If you can't afford the cost, my suggestion would be to check with your local library, or pool your resources with others, and read this book to learn how the system works before you venture into the due process arena.
In closing, Cuddy is an experienced, knowledgeable attorney and strong advocate for children with special needs. The Special Education Battlefield fills a void in special education literature. This book is written in such a way that you actually feel his commitment to children with special needs. So before you step into the due process battleground, grab this book and spend a few hours digesting it. Better yet, grab a second copy for your attorney to read before he stands in front of a hearing officer on your child's behalf.
Rated by buyers -
It is unfortunate that it has become a battlefield to get our children their Free Appropriate Public Education. But since it has, this book is a must read for any parent who has any doubts that their child is not getting the education they are entitled to. Andy gives you a good overview of what it is really like out there for parents who learn they cannot just leave it to the "educational professionals." It is an eye openner for those who are new to the system and advocating for their child's education. It would help prepare them for the real battlefield one experiences as you advocate for your child to receive the education they are entitled to.
The experiences he shares sometimes seem incredible, but unfortunately they are real. The Special Education Battlefield is an easy read of what parents, advocates and children do face in the system which is suppose to protect their right to their FAPE. Whether new to the system or a veteran, you should read this book.
I would gladly encourage Mr. Cuddy to write a sequel and cover this important issue in even greater detail for those families who have had to devote their lives to obtaining a FAPE for their children. His vast experience is extremely valuable.
Rated by buyers -
This is an exceptional book dealing with special ed issues. Andy writes in a friendly, relaxed manner that makes this book very easy to read and understand. My only regret is that I didn't read it sooner! At times I felt as if I was reading my own story. It helps to know, as parents dealing with difficult school districts, we are not alone.
Rated by buyers -
This book is an excellent guide for parents that are dealing with difficult school districts. Cuddy walks through the due process procedures step-by-step and provides a great deal of insight into the characters involved. I particularly enjoyed his classifications of school district attorneys, which included fixers, manipulators, fee churners, mouthpieces and dopes. Perhaps in a future addition he will include a similar chapter on Directors of Special Education. I could not help but think of how our own district's attorney fit so neatly into a particular classification. As times, it felt as if Cuddy was writing specifically about our district. This is a "must read" for any parent dealing with a difficult school district.
Rated by buyers -
Andrew Cuddy is a very experienced practitioner of special education law who really knows his stuff. As I am a special education attorney myself, most of the material in the book is not news to me, but most parents of disabled children will find the ample and accurate information very helpful. Mr. Cuddy definitely has strong opinions, and he pulls no punches in displaying his contempt for many school district attorneys and administrators. Even some parents of disabled children do not escape his trenchant wit, as Cuddy coins the term "Mad Buffalo Syndrome" to describe parents who have not made Peter Wright's transition from emotions to advocacy. I highly recommend this book for parents of disabled children: Cuddy's aggressive approach to the field has helped many parents and their children, and this book should help a parent understand the remedies and procedures available on behalf of disabled children.
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