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TOURETTE SYNDROME EDUCATION ADVOCACY

click here to Ask TSA a question about Education Advocacy
and to view some previous questions and answers

Education Advocacy news items:

• TSA'S APRIL 2008 NATIONAL CONFERENCE - Current information, updates. Click here.
  
  
• Ask the Expert - Positive steps to take when children with TS are being bullied or teased- click here to read an interview with
  Peaceable Schools Coordinator Megan Toy from TSA's Summer 2007 Newsletter
  
  
• The New IDEA: A Users Manual - a 4 page special article from our Winter 2006 Newsletter. Click here to read/download
  (Adobe Acrobat™ format)
  
  
• 08/03/06 Major Victory for Children with Tourette Syndrome- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to Classify Tourette
  Syndrome as Other Health Impaired. click here to read about it.
  
  
• IDEA Reauthorization - click here to read TSA's Summary view how the changes to IDEA, signed into law in December 2004,
  will affect students with Tourette Syndrome
  
  
• Video "A Teacher Looks at Tourette Syndrome" - featuring Susan Conners, MA, TSA'S Education Specialist. This Educator's
  Training video is available in our online store. Click here for more information, or click here to go to our online store.
  

Some Important Education Advocacy Considerations:

• Typically, school personnel, even special education teachers, are not taught strategies in college that assist students with TS symptoms.
  
  
• Parents know their child best and therefore are their child's best advocate.
  
  
• Students with TS frequently receive high grades but may still be eligible for special education support.
  
  
• Receiving special education services does not require that a child be removed from the general education environment

TSA provides the following free materials to introduce you to and guide you through the process:

• TS IS MORE THAN TICS (Other Important Issues to be Considered)
  
  
• GUIDE FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH STUDENTS WITH TS
  
  
• ADVOCATING FOR AN AIDE
  
  
• WHAT IS EDUCATION ADVOCACY AND WHEN IS IT NECESSARY?
  
  
• TIPS FOR SCHOOL MEETINGS
  
  
• CHANGING ATTITUDES
  
  
• FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENTS AND POSITIVE PROACTIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLANS
  
  
• SCHOOL POLICIES
  
  
• RED FLAGS
  
  
• HANDWRITING ISSUES
  
  
• INDEPENDENT EVALUATIONS
  
  
• DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT!
  
  
• GETTING HELP AT SCHOOL - WHERE DO I BEGIN? (includes a SAMPLE LETTER to send to your child's school)

Other Resources:

• U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml
  
  
• IDEA Practices http://www.ideapractices.org/
  
  
• National Association of Advocacy and Protection http://www.napas.org
  
  
• Families and Advocates Partnership for Education http://www.fape.org/

Staff Biographical Note:

KATHY GIORDANO
A parent of two adult children with Tourette Syndrome Kathy Giordano is on staff as national TSA's Advocacy Specialist. Over the past fifteen years, Ms. Giordano has presented workshops concerning educational, behavioral, and advocacy issues related to TS and co-occurring disorders to over 14,000 individuals. Previously, Ms.Giordano had been chair of national TSA's Advocacy Committee.