Gary Mayerson: How to Compromise with Your School District Without Compromising Your Child: A Field Guide for Getting Effective Services for Children with Special Needs

Mayerson’s book provides a solid foundation for parents and providers who are working with school systems to develop effective intervention programs for children with special needs. Written by a lawyer with a practice dedicated to representing children with autism and developmental disabilities, the primary objective of the text is to prepare parents for the potentially adversarial process of developing an appropriate individualized education plan (IEP) for a child with special educational needs. Introducing the topic, the author begins by helping the reader understand the perspective and pressures of school systems in trying to manage an ever growing population of children with special education needs in the midst of limited staff and constant budget pressures. It provides perspective from parents, educational specialists, and individuals within various school district special education departments to provide insight into why developing an IEP is often so challenging. Through case examples, the text also helps parents understand their legal role in the IEP process and the value of their input in ensuring the IEP is appropriately tailored to their child. Mayerson helps parents prepare for potential pitfalls at IEP meetings by helping them prepare themselves to best advocate for their child and to anticipate how the school district may respond to their questions. …