SUSAN LUGER ASSOCIATES
Special Education Advocates
You Need a Special Education  
Advocate at Your CSE Meeting
The Committee on Special Education (CSE) is a group
assembled by the local school district. Its members are
mandated by the IDEA and include educators, other
professionals and (sometimes) a parent representative.
The CSE is responsible for evaluating the child, deciding
on classification, developing an Individualized Education
Plan (IEP) and recommending appropriate placement and
services.

The Committee on Pre-school Special Education (CPSE)
is the counterpart to the CSE if your child is not yet 5
years old.

Susan Luger Associates (SLA) believes it is critical to
have a trained professional special education advocate
participate in your CSE/CPSE meeting. The CSE/CPSE
may have as many as six people present at the meeting.
These people are employees of the local school district.
No matter what the individual team member's best
intentions are, they may not be free to offer the services
that required by your child. They may be following
guidelines established by their supervisors which limit
their choices or budgetary constraints which are not the
proper concern of the IDEA or you.

The Principal of your child's school may attend the CSE
meeting. Although not a mandated member of the CSE,
the Principal may monitor, perhaps coerce, the decisions
and recommendations of the CSE to make certain that
policies and budgetary concerns are conformed with.

You should not appear at the CSE/CPSE meeting alone,
even with appropriate documentation and
recommendations from experts. You should appear with
the support of an entire network (like the Verizon
commercials now airing on TV), represented by the
participation of an
SLA professional special education
advocate.


The
SLA professional special education advocate is
  • Knowledgeable in who is mandated to attend the
    CSE/CPSE meeting
  • Understands the proper procedures under the IDEA
  • Knowledgeable in what services are available for
    your child
  • Understands the significance of the evaluations you
    plan to present to the CSE/CPSE and can assist you
    in presenting these results meaningfully
  • Our advocate, though sympathetic to your plight, is
    objective and focused in this often highly-charged
    and emotional forum

Before you select another advocacy service, make
certain their advocate comes up to the SLA standard.

Our SLA professional special education advocate will
  • Consult with you prior to the meeting to discuss goals
    and procedures
  • Present the expert reports to the CSE/CPSE in the
    best manner to encourage settlement at this stage of
    the special education process
  • Negotiate with the CSE/CPSE for the services that
    are necessary for your child’s educational success
  • Demystify the jargon often used by school district
    personnel
  • Monitor the CSE/CPSE process
  • Prepare a report for use in the future, if and as
    needed