Parents are often overwhelmed by the complexity of the special education placement process in New York City and its surrounding areas. This guidebook provides the information parents need to advocate for their child successfully and to choose a suitable school. The authors, one a co-founder of The Gillen Brewer School in New York City and the other a parent of a child with learning disabilities, share their personal and professional experience and insight as to how the special education system operates and the various options parents can pursue.

This essential guide features profiles of 33 schools for children with special needs, plus listings of medical professionals, camps, after-school programs, evaluation centers, and individuals in the field that were recommended by families of children with special needs. Chapters focus on referrals and evaluations, eligibility criteria, parents' rights, getting into a private school, the application process, school tours and interviews, and making the decision.