ASK E - Group
Members communicate with one another about services related to disabilities.
Join here

ASK MEETINGS

ASK presently does not meet on a regular basis. The ASK E-group (above) is still available for parents to subscribe and communicate with one another and we are currently revising and updating the ASK website, with materials from past meetings added periodically. If you have questions or cannot find info you need on the website, please contact mail@advocatesforspecialkids.org.

School Board Documents and Agendas 

In enacting this chapter, the Legislature finds and declares that the public commissions, boards and councils and the other public agencies in this State exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business. It is the intent of the law that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly.

The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created

Welcome to the Advocates for Special Kids Website!

This website is devoted to special education issues and advocacy for children with special needs. It is the result of the dedicated efforts of parent volunteers. There is much that we as parents, teachers and friends can do to help make the world a better place for children with special needs. All that we learn and do on behalf of children with special needs not only benefits each individual child, it benefits that child's classmates, their school and their community.

ASK is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping parents with issues related to special education. To learn more about Advocates for Special Kids and our efforts to educate ourselves and our community about special education and special needs children, visit the About ASK page. You will learn about ASK’s history, our mission and policy statements and where we’re headed in our advocacy efforts.

ASK believes parents need, and are entitled to, accurate and complete information which will allow them to make informed decisions about their child’s education. ASK’s goal is to ensure that parents are fully informed and empowered to advocate on behalf of their children; that educators are fully informed, well-trained and empowered to take appropriate steps to address the needs of ALL children in their classrooms; and that school districts are aware that parents and the community insist on equal partnership in ensuring that our schools are the best they can be - for ALL our children.

The website is divided into three main areas:

Frequently Asked Question [FAQ's] – This area includes questions ASK routinely gets from parents who are just starting out in the area of special education, and more!

Documents – This area includes the many documents ASK has created as part of our advocacy efforts. These documents are presentations to our local school district; analyses of testing and achievement in our district; informational guidelines and tutorials; flyers and our newsletter.

Links – This is a starting list of subjects our site visitors are invited to explore to find out more about special education, disabilities and various resources and interventions.

Congress reauthorized the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” [IDEA] in 1997, and again in 2004 and in so doing, legislated and emphasized greater parental involvement in the education of children with disabilities, finding:

“Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.”
20 USC §1400(c)(1)

Advocates for Special Kids thinks Congress was 100% right! We believe that ensuring that our children have equal access to education will not only benefit those children, but will benefit the entire community.    

The information on ASK's website is intended to be educational
and is not to be construed as advice, legal or otherwise.