From: AFB DirectConnect <mrichert@afb.net<mailto:mrichert@afb.net>> Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2018 3:27 PM Subject: Calling All Parents: Join in National Conversations on Education Reform Join the upcoming AFB-hosted national conversations to improve special education for children and teenagers who are blind or visually impaired. View this email in your browser<https://mailchi.mp/afb/parent-calls-save-the-date?e=2094bc8783> [American Foundation for the Blind logo: Expanding possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB DirectConnect - 1401 South Clark Street, Suite 730, Arlington, VA 22202; Tel 202.469.6831; www.afb.org] Calling All Parents! Join in National Conversations to Improve Special Education for Children and Youth with Vision Loss Three Opportunities to Tell Your Story * July 10, 8pm Eastern: Elementary-School-Aged Students * July 17, 8pm Eastern: Secondary-School-Aged Students * August 7, 8pm Eastern: Pre-Kindergarten-Aged Children To Join Any/All Meetings: Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/2545496018 Or by Telephone: 1-646-558-8656 or 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 254-549-6018 For further information, contact: Mark Richert, Esq. Director, Public Policy, AFB (202) 469-6833 MRichert@AFB.net<mailto:MRichert@AFB.net> Do you find IEP meetings intimidating? When advocating for your child's special education needs, what are the toughest issues you face? How well do you think your child's teachers and other educators and administrators are doing in providing appropriate educational opportunities for your child? If you could change one thing about your child's educational opportunities, what would it be? What questions do you have about your child's right to a free appropriate public education that you wish you had the answers for right now? These are just some of the questions that we look forward to discussing with you and parents just like you from all across the country. Both parents and educators say that they are very much in need of good, concise, practical, and authoritative guidance about the education of children and youth who are blind or visually impaired. Neither the U.S. Department of Education, nor the vision loss field, has made meaningful policy guidance available since the turn of the 21st century. And that's where you come in. AFB is facilitating an inclusive field-wide series of discussions with parents and educators to document the most pressing concerns, the most common problems, and the most fertile ground for meaningful systems change in the special education arena for students who are blind or visually impaired. Your candid input will help us develop comprehensive but concise policy guidance resources to help you and parents like you, along with teachers of students with visual impairments and other critical members of the educational team. Those resources will include: * A full and accurate understanding of your child's rights * The proper role of educators * The responsibilities of schools and other public agencies * Legal, academic, and other reliable sources of authority * Best practices to ensure the most appropriate education for your child Each of the three conversations we have scheduled will focus on children in specific age ranges. We have organized our conversations in this way to make sure that we can thoroughly explore issues of particular importance to specific age groups. While we welcome parents of children of any age to join our conversations, we would ask that you please attend the conversation most appropriate to your child. Again, to be a part of these conversations, please mark your calendar: * July 10, 8pm Eastern: Elementary-School-Aged Students * July 17, 8pm Eastern: Secondary-School-Aged Students * August 7, 8pm Eastern: Pre-Kindergarten-Aged Children To Join Any/All Meetings: Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/2545496018 Or by Telephone: 1-646-558-8656 or 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 254-549-6018 Thank you, and please do share this announcement with your own contacts and social media and other networks. [https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-facebook-48.png]<https://afb.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd3c8fefc9f905f5ccf41c577&id=40a09761ee&e=2094bc8783> [https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-link-48.png]<https://afb.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd3c8fefc9f905f5ccf41c577&id=7ace7836b3&e=2094bc8783>