| Are you the parent of a child with learning | | | | Ask for PWN, to be sent to youwithin 7-10 |
| disabilities or autism? | | | | days, and this will document your request. |
| | | | |
| Have you been fighting for an educational | | | | If you tell them that they need to give you |
| service that your childneeds, such as Applied | | | | PWN, then they will beunable to ignore you, |
| Behavioral Analysis (ABA), or a Orton- | | | | which happens, sometimes. If school |
| | | | personneldrag their feet on PWN, type one up, |
| Gillingham based reading program? This | | | | and send it to the schoolyourself. This is |
| article will discuss how to useprior written | | | | creating more documentation of your request, |
| notice (PWN), to help your child get needed | | | | andtheir refusal to provide the needed |
| educationalservices. | | | | service, or even discuss it.b. 2. States that |
| | | | PWN must contain why special education |
| The Individuals with Disabilities Education | | | | personnel arerefusing a service. This is |
| Act requires that PWNcontain 6 things: 1. | | | | important, because school personnel willhave |
| Description of the action proposed or refused | | | | to come up with a believable excuse, and put |
| bythe agency. 2. An explanation of why the | | | | it in writing. Thismay also lock them into |
| agency proposes or refuses totake action. | | | | why, they are refusing the service, and can |
| Also a description of what tests or reports | | | | beused as evidence, at a due process hearing. |
| the agencyis using as a basis for the | | | | |
| proposed or refused action. 3. Copies | | | | 2. Also states, that disability educators |
| ofprocedural safeguards given to parents. 4. | | | | must list what evaluations,assessments or |
| Sources where parents canget help | | | | reports, that they are basing there decision |
| understanding PWN. 5. A description of other | | | | on. Thisrequirement will prevent special |
| optionsdiscussed and rejected and reasons for | | | | education personnel, from makingunilateral |
| the rejection. 6. A descriptionof the | | | | decisions, without a basis for the decision. |
| factors, that are important to the agency's | | | | Even if theydo make the unilateral decision, |
| proposal orrefusal. | | | | they may have to defend this decisionat a due |
| | | | process hearing, if you decide to pursue |
| Below are ways that you can use PWN to get an | | | | it.c. 5. States that school personnel must |
| educational service thatyour child needs:a. | | | | list what options theyconsidered and why they |
| There are a couple of ways to use 1. to your | | | | were rejected. Special education |
| benefit. Since thenotice must be in writing, | | | | personneloften make unilateral decisions |
| you will have documentation, that youbelieve | | | | based on nothing, and give no options. |
| your child needs a certain service. | | | | |
| Documentation is critical,for you to win a | | | | You can use this, to make sure that they put |
| dispute with special education personnel. | | | | in writing, what optionsthey discussed, and |
| | | | why they were rejected. |
| For example: You are at an Individual | | | | |
| Education Plan (IEP) meetingasking for ABA | | | | By understanding PWN and how to use it to |
| for your 3 ½ year old son with autism. | | | | help your child, you will beable to be an |
| Schoolpersonnel refuse to even discuss it. | | | | effective advocate, for your child. |