Sandy Cook developed this Free IEP Training Course as a labor of love. She wants to help parents understand and navigate the special education world, especially IEP meetings.

Sandy remembers how clueless she felt at her first several IEP meetings! She did not know her child’s rights, and later found out her child’s IEP was inadequate with vague or unmeasurable goals. She sought a free IEP Training course, but there was nothing online at the time.

A Bit of Sandy’s Special Education Experience

When Sandy’s oldest son began elementary school, it was clear that he was struggling with language-based learning issues. He was eventually identified as having dyslexia. Through attempts to gain appropriate educational services from the local school system, Sandy learned how difficult getting appropriate instruction can be.

When school administrators refused to provide appropriate reading services to the Cooks’ son, Sandy and her husband filed a due process lawsuit. They simply wanted to get Orton-Gillingham-based reading services for their son. The outcome was favorable when the school system settled the matter two days before the court date.

In retrospect, Sandy believes many of the clashes between parents and public schools stem from lack of training.  Parents, school personnel, and the child become a victim of ignorance.

Direct training in schools and universities might insure teachers and administrators understand children with disabilities. It would surely help schools honor parental and child rights.

Since parents often feel overwhelmed, they benefit from a Free IEP Training Course like this one. It will help parents understand their child’s needs and rights.

Sandy’s Education and Qualifications

Sandy is a graduate of the Georgia Advocacy Office’s Parent Support Leadership Project, a Free IEP Training Course  which teaches parents to be special education advocates.

She has attended her own son’s IEP meetings as well as IEP meetings with other individuals, thus she is familiar with the variety of ways IEP meetings can play out.

Sandy teaches parents how to advocate for appropriate educational services.

In addition, she has a Master’s Degree in Instructional Design.

Sandy’s Next Steps

Sandy spent many years battling with the public school systems in her area. It was clear to Sandy that the most efficient way to meet a child’s educational needs is for parents to do it themselves.   Sandy began homeschooling her own boys and had great success doing so.

You can read the Cooks’ story at Overcoming Learning Disabilities through Homeschooling. Sandy now consults with families who are homeschooling. She also helps those who wish to school at home over the summer or as a tutor. She helps families design learning programs to meet the educational needs of the child.

As her primary interest, Sandy shows parents how to provide an appropriate education through homeschooling to children with learning disabilities. Sandy graduated Summa Cum Laude from Emporia State University with a Master’s Degree in Instructional Design and Technology. When pursuing her degree, Sandy’s focus was on Universal Design for Learning and Learning Styles.

With Sandy’s boys’ needs, running the Learning Abled Kids’ Support Group on Yahoo and the group on Facebook, she knows a lot about how to help kids learn better.

Visit the Georgia Advocacy Office’s Website to learn more about protection and advocacy efforts. You might find the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights site interesting. They are charged with protecting students with disabilities against discrimination too.

Welcome to this Free IEP Training Course ~ I HOPE it serves you well!