I am reprinting this announcement from COPAA. This symbosium is great opportunity to develop better self-advocacy skills for a more effective post-secondary outcome.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates has partnered with the Student Rights Initiative to host the first annual Student Rights Initiative Symposium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania March 11-13, 2016.
The SRI Symposium will run concurrent to the 2016 annual COPAA conference, and is targeted to address the unique interests and perspective of students with disabilities who are accessing (or trying to access) an appropriate educational program. The inaugural symposium will host students age 14-22 in breakout sessions, keynote addresses, networking, and social outreach to other students, self-advocates, and professionals. The SRI Symposium will teach participating students about (1) the laws that they benefit from; (2) their specific rights and entitlements; and (3) advocacy agendas so that they can be heard in the IEP process and improve education for themselves and all students. Partnering with the Student Rights Initiative enables COPAA to ensure that students with disabilities and their parents are equal members of the educational team, and that they are provided with the type of post-secondary training and preparation to become effective self-advocates beyond their school years.
Executive Director, Denise Marshall, reports that “COPAA is excited to offer this opportunity to empower students to take their rightful role in protecting and enforcing their own educational rights. They are the future and we welcome them into our un-paralled peer-to-peer network.”
Applications for participants are available on our website and must be submitted by February 15, 2016.
Please share this opportunity with anyone you think would be a good candidate for the Symposium, and join the SRI and COPAA in the mission of Protecting Rights, Creating Opportunities and Changing Lives!
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Alexis Casillas 818-990-7722 x 250 Denise Marshall 844-426-7224 at or or email
