Introduction : the one/two punch -- What your school district won't tell you -- Your special education director may not know who you are -- Who's chairing the meeting anyway? -- They care about money, a lot -- Teachers need to eat, too -- The tension between regular and special education -- Other parents are complaining about your kid -- The meeting before the meeting -- The teacher needs help but nobody wants to say so -- The least trained person and the most complex children -- Why they care about which label they give your child -- The perils of doing nothing: lessons from Sandy Hook -- You have rights -- The right to ask for an evaluation for services -- The right to a second opinion -- Counseling and training are not just for kids -- Discrimination, retaliation, intimidation, oh my! -- Procedural safeguards -- You shouldn't have to pay for that -- Can you observe your child in school? -- Scheduling IEP meetings -- Special education urban legends exposed -- Getting ready for primetime : transition to adulthood -- Demystify the paperwork -- We have a form for that! -- Bring your A game -- Know the players -- Toothless IEP language -- Little understood IEP essentials -- Finding your advocacy style -- Best kept secrets.