Education Law Expert Miriam Freedman

Attorney, expert, and author, Miriam Kurtzig Freedman has spoken on education law and strategy in 45 states.

What's New and Improved:

Spring 2008: Miriam's updated and revised Second Edition, Grades, Report Cards, Etc... and the Law is published by School Law Pro.

Spring 2008, Miriam's updated Second Edition of Meeting NCLB's Mandates: Your Quick-Reference Guide to Assessments and Accountability is published by LRP Publications.

Jan-March 2008: Miriam is a visiting fellow at Stanford Law School.

November 30, 2007 : Third Annual Special Education Day celebrated in Boston. The day marks the 33rd anniversary of the nation's first special education law. It celebrates the successes achieved, highlights current challenges, and makes concrete and specific recommendations for reform as we move forward. For information, visit specialeducationday.com .

Summer 2007: Miriam's book, Grades, Report Cards, Etc. …and the Law is republished. It is available at Miriam@schoollawpro.com

June 2007. Recognition by the Better Government Competition, Pioneer Institute. Miriam's proposal, part of SPEDCO's submission, to reform special education in Massachusetts, was honored as a runner up in the Better Government Competition. www.pioneerinstitute.org

Spring 2007: Miriam's book, Grades, Report Cards, Etc…and the Law is adopted by Colorado, as every high school has now been provided with a copy!

Jan - March, 2007: Miriam visiting fellow at Stanford Law School, speaking at various West Coast locales.

Jan 8, 2007: Miriam quoted on Gerald Ford's Special Ed legacy in Education Week.

December 19, 2006: Second annual Special Education Day. Scott Harshbarger keynoted the event, which marked the 31st anniversary of the federal special education law with the theme of "Dreams, Realities, Possibilities." Participants discussed creative options for change.

December 2, 2005: First annual Special Education Day. An afternoon of celebration and dialogue about the past, present, and future of Special Ed. What was the state of special education when President Ford signed the first law 30 years ago? And where do we need to be in the next 30 years? For information, visit the website: specialeducationday.com

November 30th, 2005: Miriam and colleague's article "Happy Birthday, Special Education" appears in Education Week.

April 2005 : Miriam's new book, Grades, Report Cards, etc….and the Law is published. For information, email Miriam or download order form. The book is already a big hit.

Spring 2005: Miriam's book, Student Testing and the Law is published by LRP Publications. For information, email to www.lrp.com .

November 2004: Miriam's article, “NCLB Testing Requirements — What about Students with Disabilities,” appears in Inquiry and Analysis , NSBA Council of School Attorneys.

December, 2004: Miriam's "Meeting NCLB's Mandates: Your Quick-Reference Guide to Assessments and Accountability," published by LRP Publications, Horsham, PA. www.lrp.com .

7/5/04: Miriam's essay, "The Fight for High Standards," appears in the Hoover Digest (Summer 2004 issue.) Check out www.hooverdigest.com

7/5/04: Miriam's essay, "Balancing the Needs of Regular and Special Education Students", wins runner up in Pioneer Institute's Better Government Competion.
pioneerinstitute.org

2/15/04:
Miriam is a visiting fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution (From Jan - March)

1/30/04:
Massachusetts DOE publishes guidance for schools on college entrance testing.

8/26/03:
Miriam's article, "Disabling the SAT", is published in the fall issue of Education Next

8/13/03: SchoolLawPro.com launched.

School Law Pro
The website for attorney Miriam Kurtzig Freedman, M.A., J.D.

"I 
                              taught in public schools in a simpler era, when 
                              the threat of lawsuits didn't color my every lesson. 
                              We may not be able to return to those days. But 
                               together we can become more savvy about 
                              the laws, prevent lawsuits, work toward positive changes for our 
                              schools, and return to the mission of educating our children. 

Disputes, hearings, complaints, and lawsuits happen. Alas, even in schools. Educators and policymakers want to understand basic legal requirements. Miriam translates complex legalese into plain English, focusing on good preventive practices. She promotes policies and strategies that improve schools for all students.

An expert in public education law for more than 25 years

Miriam helps educators and policymakers learn about:

No Child Left Behind
Education Reform
IDEA and special education concerns
Section 504
Accomodations and modifications
Due process
AYP (adequate yearly progress for all students)
Higher standards and testing requirements
Closing the achievement gap--issues and challenges
Report cards, transcripts, and graduation

... and all in plain English. Educators are pros who need this information to move from confusion to confidence.

A chart of legal principles from Miriam's recent speaking tour. This "Pyramid of Laws" illustrates the hierarchy of authority and its inverse relationship to student and parent rights.

Presentation topics include: top

School leadership in challenging times. From conflict to collaboration.
Thirteen costly mistakes that IEP and 504 Teams continue to make…and what to do instead.
Balancing the legal requirements of the NCLB, IDEA, and Section 504—and still having time to teach kids.
Rethinking education reform.
Special Education: Where do we need to be in the next 30 years?
Empowering teachers: from confusion to confidence.
High stakes testing: do we mean what we say about standards?

Presentation schedule: top

For more information about the events below, or to book a presentation, contact Miriam at the address below.

March 2008	April 2008
March 4, Monterey, CA March 6, Santa Barbara, CA March 18, San Jose, CA	April 2, Chicago IL
May 2008	June 2008

July 2008	August 2008
	August 6-7, Ogden UT August / September, Newport RI
September 2008	October 2008
August / September, Newport RI	Date TBD: Boston, MA October 28, Manchester NH
November 2008	December 2008
November 6-7, Nebraska

What Readers are Saying: top

Feedback for Miriam's latest book, "Grades, Report Cards, and the Law" (more info below):

“I found your book (Grades, Report Cards, etc…and the Law) lying on a co-worker's desk and thought I'd glance at it. Well, I couldn't put it down! It's a wonderful, straightforward guide. How do I get a copy?” –May 2005, Virginia Department of Education.

“I am ordering more books. The book is wonderful.” Tennessee school district.

Selected Writings and Books: top

Books: Grades, Report Cards, etc….and the Law: The legal requirements that educators, parents, and officials need to know…in plain English . Size: 8.5 X 5.5, 90 pages, targeted toward teachers and school districts. To order your copy, send email to miriam@schoollawpro.com or download order form.

Student Testing and the Law: The Requirements Educators, Parents, and Officials Should Know—in plain English . Size: 8.5 X 5.5, 80 pages, targeted toward teachers and school districts. To order your copy, contact LRP Publications at wwwshoplrp.com . Look for special education.

Sourcebook for Substitutes and Other Teachers, Pearson Publishing, available at amazon.com.

Legalese: The Words Lawyers Use and What They Mean, Dell Publishing, out of print, limited copies at Bookfinder and Amazon ZShops. Soon to be republished.

Articles and Special Reports:

"Meeting NCLB's Mandates: Your Quick-Reference Guide to Assessments and Accountability," published by LRP Publications, Horsham, PA. www.lrp.com , (Phone: 1-800-341-7874, email: custserve@lrp.com).

"The Fight for High Standards," Hoover Digest (Summer 2004 issue.) www.hooverdigest.com

"Balancing the Needs of Regular and Special Education Students", runner up in Pioneer Institute's Better Government Competion.
www.pioneerinstitute.org

"Disabling the SAT," Education Next, Fall 2003. Full text online.

Testing, Grading and Granting Diplomas to Special Education Students

Residential Placements under the IDEA: A Legal Overview

Both reports available at www.lrp.com.

Video Presentations:

Available at www.meds-pdn.com

Contact Information: top

To learn more about Miriam's presentations, products, or consulting, send email to .

Together -- creating legal solutions.