We got word today that the school district has offered a settlement in Caitlin's case. Because of the problems Caitlin had in school for all three years of middle school, and the lack of assistance the district provided, we retained a lawyer to help us convince them to pay for her private school tuition. We were scheduled for a due process hearing next week and got word yesterday from our lawyer that they had been back and forth with the district over the past few days with a variety of settlement offers. The one they finally sent to us for approval was far more than I would have expected. I thought we would have gone through the due process hearing, rejected the offer from that, and had to have gone to court. The lessons learned from this for parents of any special needs children:

1. Keep meticulous records of every conversation you have with your child's school, including the date, who participated in the discussion, the topics covered, and any outcomes.

2. Don't hesitate to ask the district for a description of every service available to your child. This does not have to be a confrontational relationship, but the district should be aware that you're stepping in to perform the advocacy role for your child. The district's responsibility is to themselves and the taxpayers - you are the one who is charged with making sure your child is getting the services and support they need - do *not* assume that the district will serve that function.

3. Request that the district arrange for and pay for testing, if appropriate.

4. Request an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) if you think that your child needs special accommodations of any kind.

5. Find support from something like the Parents Involved Network, which is a group of parents who have been through the IEP process and can help you understand your rights and recommend advocates to assist you.

6. Retain a lawyer who specializes in dealing with educational issues, if you find that the district is not meeting your child's needs and you've tried all other routes for resolution.

This is an enormous burden lifted from us, both from a financial perspective and from the standpoint of having to deal with the district through a protracted period of negotiation.

Today was certainly the coldest day of the year, and one of the coldest on record for any January in Pennsylvania. As I walking from one building to another at work (wrapped in multiple layers of sweaters, wool pants, tights, socks, scarf and heavy coat) I saw a big flock of robins, all puffed out against the cold. Why didn't they migrate to some warmer climate? We always make such a big deal out of seeing the first robin in the spring, a more certain harbinger of warm weather than snowdrops or crocuses or daffodils. Are these the robins that are destined by Darwinian selection not to survive? Are these the equivalent of that guy I saw on TV last night who, while being arraigned, shouted out "I'm no common thief! I'm a drug dealer!", establishing the hierarchy of criminals and the Marianas Trench-like depths of his own stupidity? Will I find these birds, frozen solid and scattered like so much avian ice sculpture when I return to work on Tuesday?