Schools and districts are already well-versed in pre-2004 parent advocacy strategies and tactics.  They have read the parent books and parent websites, attended the parent conferences, know what’s taught at parent trainings and boot camps, and have listened to how parents and advocates conduct themselves at IEP and 504 meetings. 

Over the years, little has changed regarding how parents are educated and prepared to advocate on their child’s behalf.  Each and every parent-directed book, workshop, handout, and speaker has basically stated the same information over and over for the past 15-20 years if not longer.  It’s time to update, refine, and add new parent advocacy strategies and tactics because schools have become savvier, bolder, and less intimidated by the declaration of your rights and what you have been told to do.  They know exactly how to respond to those pre-2004 strategies and tactics to maintain their status quo as gate-keepers to your child’s success and future.  They have updated, refined, and added new tactics and strategies that have significantly impacted IDEA, Section 504, parents, and children. 

Current pre-2004 strategies and tactics used by parents and advocates are no longer good enough or effective enough.  It’s time for a paradigm shift.  Parents and advocates need to acquire new post-2004 strategies, skills, and tactics that are timely, effective, and dynamic.  Only then will parents have the power and potential to change the way things have been going for their children.  It’s time for parents to advocate for their children’s education in a more effective and efficient way, with post-2004 strategies, skills, and tactics to create the necessary paradigm shift--  children getting a quality education-- academically, socially, and behaviorally within a results-oriented process.

The New IDEA and Section 504
Pre-2004	Post-2004
First 30 days- identify procedural safeguards and due process strategies	First 30 days- fact gathering strategies and development of educational blueprint within the context of procedural safeguards and due process rights
Adversarial	Effective, decisive collaboration strategies (IBTA) that are case-specific and case-sensitive
Request an IEE	Complete INAP, leverage their experts, then consider requesting an IEE
File a complaint or hire an advocate	Compliance tracking
Draft a “stranger letter”	Write documenting letters, e-mails, notes, reports, attachments
Draft a list of your child’s strengths and needs	Have SENC conduct an INAP (diagnostic assessment) of the school records; then draft document of needs, strengths, attempts, recommendations within context of educational blueprint, IDEA, and Section 504
“Professional parent” Procedural and substantive violations:     identify and file (complaint, mediation, fair hearing)	Parent as an authority Procedural and substantive violations:   identify, leverage, compliance track, then consider judicious exercise of rights
Take an advocate (certified or self-proclaimed) with you to a school meeting	Assemble a support team (can include an advocate) coordinated by you and your SENC
Belief that the actual school meeting is where all the effective work is to be accomplished	Front end all your work and preparation (INAP & IBTA) with your support team and SENC well before you schedule the school meeting
Basic advocacy with technical assistance	Advanced advocacy with interest-based technical assistance (IBTA)
Put child’s records in sequential order and mark with sticky notes	Complete a diagnostic assessment (INAP) of child’s records and school records
Primary focus on “you have rights” and how they have been violated	Primary focus on investigation and preparation for saying the right thing to the right person at the right time at the right place to get results within the context of your rights, your child’s rights, and even the school’s rights
Primary focus on the school being wrong	Primary focus on the child’s educational, social, emotional, and physical well-being within the context of the process
Knowing your rights	Knowing your rights, your child’s rights, and the school’s rights
Focus is on exercising your rights	Focus is on developing an educational blueprint for your child and identifying educational options within the context of your and your child’s rights
Relying solely on an advocate (certified or self-proclaimed), an IEE, bringing a health-provider to the school meeting, using a “do it yourself” approach	Engaging services of a certified Special Educational Needs Consultant  (SENC) to guide and instruct you and your support team; coordinate effective strategies, skills, and tactics; use IBTA; and complete an Individual Needs Assessment Protocol (INAP)

You have to “fight” to get what you want	Demonstrate, document, convince based on your child’s needs
Parents usually seek help once a crisis occurs	Parents are proactive and seek assistance, guidance, instruction to prevent a crisis from occurring