Advocating for Your Child at School: Resources and Upcoming Events
August 25, 2025
A new school year is about to start. Whether you have a child who will be attending school for the first time, or they (and you) have been through the IEP cycle already – you may have questions about how to participate effectively in the special education process. If so, the Family Resources team has put together a list of upcoming webinars and online presentations you may want to check out.
All are free of charge unless otherwise noted, but most require a pre-registration to participate. So don’t delay, sign up for anything you’re interested in right away.
If you see a resource you like – even if you’ve missed the date for it this time around – consider signing up for that organization’s email newsletter so you learn about their other events as they come up.
- All About IEP’s & 504’s Lunch & Learn hosted by Washington PAVE Parent to Parent (9/2/25, 12 to 1 p.m.)
- Navigating IDD: What to Watch For During IEP Meetings and Evaluations hosted by The Arc of King County (9/10/25, 7 to 8:30 p.m.)
- Blueprints to Special Education (How to Build Effective School Services) offered by Washington Autism Alliance (9/13/25, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.); note that there is a charge for this day-long class, on a sliding scale
- Special Education Law Q&A Session hosted by the King County Law Library (9/17/25, 12 to 1 p.m.)
- Understanding FBAs & BIPs: Empowering Parents to Support Positive Behavior in Public School offered by Washington Autism Alliance (10/9/25, 5 to 7 p.m.)
Here are a few other resources for special education learning and advocacy, available on-demand:
- Top 5 Resources for Back to School (Autism Blog)
- 4-Part Video Series on Special Education (Arc of Washington and Informing Families)
- The Power of Data: Shaping IEPs and 504 Plans for Student Success (WA PAVE)
- Getting to Results: A Guide to Special Education in Seattle Public Schools (Seattle Special Education PTSA). This free guide is available in 10 different languages, and most of the information it contains is helpful for any student in special education across the state.
We here at the Autism Center wish your family a happy and rewarding school year ahead!