Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future

Stacey Shubitz

Book cover for Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future
Book cover for Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future
Image for variant 9781462554133
Image for variant 9781462559374
Book cover for Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future
Book cover for Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future
Image for variant 9781462554133
Image for variant 9781462559374

Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future

Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future

Stacey Shubitz

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Description

Public schools offer a wide range of supports for disabled children--but navigating the system can feel like getting trapped in a complex maze. Special education parent and veteran educator Stacey Shubitz provides a vital map for the journey in this practical, optimistic, empowering guide. Stories of kids with a variety of challenges give you a solid understanding of special versus general education, expert evaluations, disability designations, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), 504 Plans, and more. The book describes clear steps to improve communication with teachers and school staff, get the most out of meetings, and ensure plans are correctly implemented, so your child can thrive. You get downloadable practical tools, self-care strategies, tips for cultivating joy, and an inclusive children's book list to make reading together a habit. Channel your love and hope into success and self-determination for your child at school--this book shows how.

About the Author

Stacey Shubitz, MSEd, is a certified literacy specialist and former fourth- and fifth-grade teacher in the New York City Public Schools and a public charter school in Rhode Island. Since 2009, she has been a literacy consultant, supporting teachers with writing instruction. She has published several books and is cofounder of the Two Writing Teachers blog and podcast. She lives with her family in Pennsylvania.

Critical Reviews

"Warm and accessible, this book equips you with knowledge and strategies to work with the school system to best support your child. From understanding evaluation options, to getting the most out of IEPs and 504 plans, to collaborating with teachers and related service providers and so much more, this book is an essential tool to help you set your child up for school success."--Lindsey Biel, MA, OTR/L, occupational therapist; coauthor of Raising a Sensory Smart Child

"This book is a trail guide for parents navigating unfamiliar and daunting terrain. Stacey Shubitz speaks 'parent to parent' with the insights of a well-informed traveler. She guides you to become an advocate for your child, offering sage advice and extensive resources. If I could recommend only one book to help parents understand and navigate how to get support for a child with a disability, it would be this one."--Lester L. Laminack, PhD, author, consultant, and Professor Emeritus, Western Carolina University

"I wish I could gift this book to every parent who has just received a diagnosis for their child or is exploring getting their child evaluated. This book is bringing back memories for me as a parent--and I am also making brand-new discoveries. Stacey Shubitz digs deeply into her own and others' experiences and shares hard-won lessons with all of us."--Samara D., Portland, Maine

"Parents and educators reading this book will find a fierce ally, perhaps even a life coach, certainly a joy guru!"--Katherine Bomer, MA, educator, author, and consultant, Sherman, Connecticut

"A treasure chest for parents of children with disabilities and caregivers. Stacey Shubitz has packed this book with the critical information families need, as well as guidance for our entire journey. She writes with warmth, empathy, and grace, in part because she has walked this path, too. As a longtime educator and a parent of two children with IEPs, I only wish this book had been around when I first embarked on this journey, but am beyond grateful that it is here now."--M. Colleen Cruz, MA, educator, author, and consultant, New York City

Publishing Information

Publisher: Guilford Publications
Pub date: 2026-01-20
Length: 223 pages

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