Interview with Barbara Lefler

Advocacy in the school

Was it difficult to get appropriate help for your son?

Recent research confirms that many people do not learn to read well enough. By way of background, before we go any further, could you tell us a little about that?

Parents are likely to agree to almost any IEP, but they have the right to ask for something that is likely to be effective.

How would a parent know if a program is working or not?

How can a parent find out if the program is working for their child? You are saying that parents should ask for a meaningful review of progress. What does this mean?

A lot of times people see a child who is not performing well in school, assume that they are deliberately "goofing off," and then look for a way of motivating them to work harder. Any quick thoughts on that?