If you’ve ever left a school meeting wondering what just happened, Your Special Education Rights: What Your School District isn’t Telling You, by Jennifer Laviano and Julie Swanson is the book for you!
As a senior in high school with a 504 plan, I’ve sat through my fair share of 504 meetings. I’d patiently listen while my parents debated my middle school’s administration as to what accommodations I needed to succeed. I’d hear the administration lob out phrases like, “she appears to be…” or “Let’s see how things go.” The team leader would always stare at their computer typing every word my mother and I said, but were they actually understanding us? I remember watching my mom walk out of the school building, holding a folder full of paperwork. Her face was tight with frustration. She was overwhelmed. We both were. It felt like the administration had already made decisions before we even entered the room.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that our experience wasn’t unusual. In the book, Your Special Education Rights: What Your School District isn’t Telling You, Jennifer Laviano, a special education attorney, and Julie Swanson, an advocate and parent, expose how school districts often approach 504/IEP meetings with a predetermined agenda, using vague language and bureaucratic procedures to steer the conversation. But more than just exposing the system, Laviano and Swanson give families the tools, language, and confidence to advocate effectively for their child’s educational rights.
The strength of this book is its clarity. The authors translate complex legal concepts, like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees educational support for students with disabilities, and key Supreme Court rulings, into straightforward and practical guidance that families can actually use. Laviano and Swanson give examples of what to say in IEP meetings, how to write follow-up emails, and how using phrases like asking for a “formal evaluation under IDEA” can trigger specific actions from the school district.
Laviano and Swanson also explain the psychology behind why administrations act the way they do. I appreciate that the book takes a holistic approach, helping families understand not only their own rights but also the perspective of school districts. It’s not about painting educators as the enemy. In fact, Laviano and Swanson are clear that their goal isn’t to villainize schools, but to show families where schools are coming from. They explain why schools often act defensively, how power dynamics play out in meetings, and why even caring teachers may stay quiet. The authors make it very clear; school districts aren’t just trying to be difficult, they’re protecting their own interests, just like families are. Once both sides recognize that they share many of the same fears, real collaboration becomes possible.
Reading Your Special Education Rights has made me realize how crucial nonprofit organizations like Special Education Legal Fund (S.E.L.F) are. Not every family can afford an attorney, but every child deserves a fair shot. Resources like this book and organizations like S.E.L.F help close that gap.
I’ve experienced firsthand how hard it can be to advocate for yourself in a system that often feels stacked against you. Reading Your Special Education Rights: What Your School District isn’t Telling You was eye-opening, frustrating, and empowering all at once. For students like me and families like mine, it’s exactly the kind of guide we need.
Charlotte Lorraine is an intern at Special Education Legal Fund and a first year student at Columbia University.
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