Why You Might Need A Special Education Lawyer For Your Child

In most cases, parents are the best and most proactive advocates for their children. When that child has special needs, the parents do sometimes require help from the child's teachers, doctors and community leaders. It may be possible that you might need a special education lawyer for your child in certain circumstances. How can one of these lawyers help you? The following are only a few examples of what a special education lawyer can do to help.

Gain Access to Files

School boards keep files and records on each child. These reports include their progress, tests, and other information, including if a child has special needs such as autism. If you feel your child needs to enter into an individualized education program, a special education lawyer can help you gain access to the files your school has on your child's progress, which can be used to prove your child would benefit from this program.

Request a Meeting for an IEP

While a parent may be able to request a meeting about getting their child into the IEP, a lawyer may have a better chance at it. They can request the child be evaluated by professionals to see if they would benefit from an individualized education program geared specifically for them. Once the meeting is arranged, a lawyer can help you prepare for it and even help draft part of the program as well as suggest what areas and material might be effective for your child.

Dispute with the School District

In some cases, school districts might feel they can't provide the necessary education your child needs and may recommend a different course of action, such as homeschooling your child or working through tutors. If you have a dispute with the school district in which a legal resolution might be in the cards, then a special education lawyer is your best bet. They are trained in specifically advocating for special needs children and getting their education as well as any other services they require met.

Help with Court Cases

If the need should arise that you must take any dispute you have with your school or the school district to court, a lawyer can stand by you and help prove your case. While older cases are generally in the public domain to research and use as valid reasons to support your own case, a lawyer knows which cases will prove the most effective and also have access to reports and files that the regular person simply does not have. It is usually better to let a lawyer deal with the legal ins and outs of the court system.

For more information, contact local professionals like Law Office of Mark W Voigt.