Description: This book puts you inside real-world special education scenarios drawn from actual cases involving students, families, and school systems. Each case challenges you to think like a leader under pressure-balancing law, data, and judgment in moments where the right answer isn't always obvious.
Brief description: David F. Bateman, PhD, is a Special Education Consultant, and Professor Emeritus at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. He is a former due process hearing officer for Pennsylvania for hundreds of hearings. He uses his knowledge of litigation relating to special education to assist school districts in providing appropriate supports for students with disabilities and to prevent and to recover from due process hearings. He has been a classroom teacher of students with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, intellectual disability, and hearing impairments, and a building administrator. Dr. Bateman earned a PhD in special education from the University of Kansas. Over the past 28 years he has either been a hearing officer or consultant on over 1,005 special education lawsuits. He frequently is a keynote presenter at principal and administrator conferences. He has recently co-authored the following books: A Principal's Guide to Special Education, A Teacher's Guide to Special Education, Charting the Course: Special Education in Charter Schools, Special Education Leadership: Building Effective Programming in Schools, Current Trends and Legal Issues in Special Education, and A School Board Members Guide to Special Education. He has also recently worked as the neutral fact-finder in the class action lawsuit involving the Oregon Department of Education. After the 2017 Supreme Court decision in Endrew F., the U.S. Department of Education reached out to him to develop a training module for administrators on legally compliant IEPs. He is co-author of the special education legal blog: SPEDLAWBLOG.com
Review Quotes:
"This second edition serves as the definitive foundation for targeted administrator professional learning, transforming professional development from passive 'sit-and-get' sessions into active, critical engagement with real-world case studies. By analyzing complex disputes through the competing lenses of administrators, school attorneys, and parent attorneys, the text challenges leaders to move beyond theoretical compliance toward rigorous, data-driven decision-making. It is an indispensable tool for special education directors, superintendents, and school leaders looking to develop the practical judgment and collaborative strategies required to build effective, student-centered programs for students with disabilities." --Tierney Barcarse, Ph.D., Special Education District Educational Specialist, Hawai'i Department of Education
"Timely, realistic, and challenging, this text is precisely what is needed to prepare future special education teachers and leaders to become comfortable navigating the grey areas of special education disputes. The cases present realistic scenarios that do not have clear-cut answers that can be provided to prospective special education teachers and leaders ahead of time. Instead, they compel readers to recognize the uniqueness of each case and the importance of considering the perspectives of all parties involved to fully understand the circumstances and what went wrong. Each case varies, and readers learn to approach each one with an understanding of the unique circumstances surrounding it rather than searching for simple, predetermined answers. I use this text to help future special educators develop the skills needed to navigate the ambiguity and complexities inherent in special education practice. As they learn about the different pitfalls that can lead to disputes, they develop an understanding of the perspectives that each party brings to the table and consider how different decisions and practices may shape the experiences of children with disabilities and their families. Ultimately, these cases challenge readers to think critically, build empathy for the perspectives of others, and develop a sincere commitment to implementing practices that ensure children with disabilities are supported to the fullest extent possible." --Haya Abdellatif, PhD., Director and Assistant Professor of Special Education, Washington and Jefferson College