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Contains 1 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 10/22/2025 at 1:00 PM (EDT)
Attorney Roundtables are brought to you by COPAA's Attorney Committee, co-chaired by Craig Goodmark and Jennifer Laviano. The October topic is Due Process hearings led by David M. Grey, Esq. The first 30 minutes frame the issue, and the remaining 30 minutes are for an open discussion on cases, trends, strategies, best practices, etc. on the topic.
Attorney Roundtables are brought to you by COPAA's Attorney Committee, co-chaired by Craig Goodmark and Jennifer Laviano.
The October topic is Due Process hearings led by David M. Grey, Esq.
The first 30 minutes frame the issue, and the remaining 30 minutes are for an open discussion on cases, trends, strategies, best practices, etc. on the topic.
David M. Grey, Esq.
Partner
Grey & Grey
David M. Grey, Esq. is a partner with the law firm of Grey & Grey in California. David is an experienced special education attorney who has successfully handled a lot of due process hearings and appeals in state and federal court. He has experience with a broad range of special education matters. A significant number of his cases involve people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing or those who are in danger of being seriously hurt if not properly served by the school. David has a growing interest in using civil rights laws to obtain injunctive relief and damages beyond what is provided for under IDEA.
Prior to his special education practice, David focused on employment and real estate disputes, where he had many jury trials, arbitrations and administrative hearings. He is a cum laude graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University and received his law degree from Hofstra University in New York. David has lectured and written extensively on a variety of legal topics. Most recently he was successful in convincing the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse summary judgment against two of his clients in K.M. v. Tustin Unified School District, 725 F.3d 1088 (9th Cir. 2013)(cert. denied). The Ninth Circuit made clear that compliance with IDEA does not foreclose rights available under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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Contains 1 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 09/17/2025 at 1:00 PM (EDT)
Attorney Roundtables are brought to you by COPAA's Attorney Committee, co-chaired by Craig Goodmark and Jennifer Laviano. The September topic is Manifestation Determination Reviews (MDRs) led by Mayra Lira, Esq., The first 30 minutes frame the issue, and the remaining 30 minutes are for an open discussion on cases, trends, strategies, best practices, etc. on the topic.
Attorney Roundtables are brought to you by COPAA's Attorney Committee, co-chaired by Craig Goodmark and Jennifer Laviano. The September topic is Manifestation Determination Reviews (MDRs) led by Mayra Lira, Esq The first 30 minutes frame the issue, and the remaining 30 minutes are for an open discussion on cases, trends, strategies, best practices, etc. on the topic.
Please note the attorney roundtables are not recorded, as they are informal discussions and not a formal training tool like a webinar. This allows participants (who are mostly attorneys) to ask questions about their cases, strategies, trends, best practices, without worrying about a recording. A slide deck is usually provided for the roundtables and captions are always added to the meeting. If you require accommodations please email learningcenter@copaa.org.
Mayra Lira, Esq.
Supervising Staff Attorney for Public Counsel's Education Rights Team
Public Counsel & COPAA
Mayra Lira is the Supervising Staff Attorney for Public Counsel's Education Rights Team. She oversees a team that combines legal advocacy with social work support to address racial and economic inequalities and confront the school to prison pipeline and the opportunity gap for students of color. Her practice includes direct representation of families with children with disabilities and youth who are system-involved in all stages of special education advocacy and students facing expulsion and school pushout. Mayra leverages what the team learns in individual cases to inform policy reform efforts at the local and state level.
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Contains 1 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 07/22/2025 at 1:00 PM (EDT)
Attorney Roundtables are brought to you by COPAA's Attorney Committee, co-chaired by Craig Goodmark and Jennifer Laviano. The July topic is Section 504 led by COPAA's Legal Director, Selene Almazan. The first 30 minutes frame the issue, and the remaining 30 minutes are for an open discussion on cases, trends, strategies, best practices, etc.
Attorney Roundtables are brought to you by COPAA's Attorney Committee, co-chaired by Craig Goodmark and Jennifer Laviano. The July roundtable topic is Section 504 led by COPAA's Legal Director, Selene Almazan. The first 30 minutes frame the issue, and the remaining 30 minutes are for an open discussion on cases, trends, strategies, best practices, etc.
Please note the attorney roundtables are not recorded, as they are informal discussions and not a formal training tool like a webinar. This allows participants (who are mostly attorneys) to ask questions about their cases, strategies, trends, best practices, without worrying about a recording. A slide deck is usually provided for the roundtables and captions are always added to the meeting. If you require accommodations please email learningcenter@copaa.org.
Selene Almazan, Esq.
Legal Director
COPAA
Selene Almazan, Esq. (MD) has been a member of COPAA since its inception in 1998. Selene was on the Board of Directors from 2003-2014. She has represented students and families for nearly 30 years. Selene is a former Supervising Attorney for the Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland where she represented children in the foster care system, including representation in special education matters. For nearly 23 years, Selene represented parents in special education matters with a primary focus on least restrictive environment (LRE) issues at the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education. Since September 2014, Selene has been the Legal Director for the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) where she supports the work of the Amicus Committee as well as works on federal and local policy issues. Since May 2015 Selene maintains a private practice focusing on parent and student representation in special education matters, including LRE. She represents families at IEP team meetings, state complaint proceedings, mediations, due process hearings, suspension/expulsion proceedings and federal court proceedings, including matters involving violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. She has extensive experience training families, teachers, school administrators, attorneys and advocates on legal issues related to special education law as well as disability discrimination issues.
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Contains 12 Component(s) Includes Multiple Live Events. The next is on 07/15/2025 at 12:00 PM (EDT)
Join us for this monthly session to welcome new members to the COPAA community and provide an overview of your membership. We review the website functionally, explain how to access key resources and of course, questions and answers. Learn how to make the most of your COPAA membership! If you do not yet have a COPAA membership, please first apply here (https://www.copaa.org/page/joinus). Once approved, you will be able to register!
Join us for this monthly session to welcome new members to the COPAA community and provide an overview of your membership. We review the website functionally, explain how to access key resources and of course, questions and answers. Learn how to make the most of your COPAA membership!
If you do not yet have a COPAA membership, please first apply here. Once approved, you will be able to register!
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Contains 6 Component(s)
Una serie esencial para padres que buscan entender y participar activamente en la planificación de la transición de sus hijos con IEP hacia la vida adulta.
Esta serie de 6 partes está diseñada para empoderar a estudiantes de educación especial y a sus familias, guiándolos a través del proceso de transición a la vida después de la secundaria. Usando un lenguaje sencillo y ejemplos prácticos, "Navegando el Futuro" desglosa los requisitos de la ley IDEA para la transición, transformando lo que puede parecer un proceso complejo en un viaje emocionante y manejable. Desde la creación de un plan de transición centrado en el estudiante dentro del IEP, hasta la exploración de opciones de empleo y vida independiente, y la conexión con agencias de apoyo para adultos, esta guía ofrece el conocimiento y las herramientas para que los estudiantes tomen un rol activo en la construcción de su propio futuro exitoso.
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Contains 6 Component(s)
Una serie práctica y empoderadora para comprender, desarrollar y monitorear las metas clave en el Programa de Educación Individualizada (IEP) de tu hijo.
El corazón de un Programa de Educación Individualizada (IEP) son las metas, los pasos que guiarán el progreso de tu hijo. Esta serie está diseñada para desmitificar las metas del IEP, transformándolas de un requisito legal a una poderosa herramienta para el éxito de tu hijo.
A lo largo de esta guía, aprenderás a comprender qué hace que una meta sea efectiva, cómo participar activamente en su desarrollo y qué hacer para asegurar que tu hijo la alcance. Te proporcionaremos el conocimiento y las herramientas para que te sientas seguro y empoderado, ayudando a tu hijo a brillar en cada etapa de su aprendizaje.
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Contains 6 Component(s)
Una serie esencial para padres que buscan fortalecer su colaboración con el personal escolar y asegurar la educación adecuada para sus hijos.
Una comunicación clara y colaborativa con la escuela es el puente hacia el éxito educativo de tu hijo, especialmente si tiene un IEP o Plan 504. Esta serie te equipará con las herramientas y estrategias para construir relaciones sólidas, expresar tus necesidades con confianza y asegurar que la voz de tu hijo sea escuchada. Aprende a prepararte, hablar, escribir y resolver desacuerdos para que la educación de tu hijo sea un verdadero trabajo en equipo.
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Contains 5 Component(s)
Guia para padres del proceso del IEP
Entendemos que el Programa de Educación Individualizada (IEP) puede parecer complejo, pero es el documento del camino más importante para el éxito educativo de tu hijo con necesidades especiales. Esta guía está diseñada para empoderarte, ofreciendo un recorrido claro y práctico por cada fase del proceso del IEP.
Aquí aprenderás desde qué es un IEP y por qué es crucial, hasta tus derechos como padre para asegurar que la voz de tu hijo sea escuchada. Te daremos las herramientas para prepararte con confianza para las reuniones, navegar las conversaciones con el equipo escolar, y asegurar que el plan se implemente de manera efectiva.
Porque tu participación es la clave. Con esta guía, te sentirás más informado, seguro y listo para ser el mejor defensor de tu hijo.
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Contains 6 Component(s)
Una serie esencial para entender y navegar los desafíos de la disciplina escolar, protegiendo los derechos de tu hijo en cada paso.
En el camino educativo de nuestros hijos, pueden surgir desafíos inesperados, y la disciplina escolar es uno de los temas que más preocupación genera. Entender las políticas y los derechos de tu hijo en situaciones disciplinarias es clave para proteger su bienestar y su futuro académico.
Esta sección te brindará una guía clara y práctica sobre las expulsiones escolares y los derechos del estudiante. Abordaremos desde qué es exactamente una expulsión y por qué ocurren, hasta las protecciones adicionales para estudiantes con discapacidades. Te equiparemos con pasos prácticos inmediatos y te mostraremos alternativas constructivas a la disciplina punitiva.
Nuestro objetivo es que te sientas informado, preparado y empoderado para ser el mejor defensor de tu hijo. Porque conocer tus derechos es tu mayor fortaleza en el sistema escolar. Explora esta guía y descubre cómo puedes proteger y apoyar a tu hijo en cada paso del camino.
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Contains 6 Component(s)
The Practice Tips: Microlearning Path is brought to you by COPAA's Attorney Committee, co-chaired by Craig Goodmark and Jennifer Laviano. The Practice Tips learning path features three short videos (10-15 minutes) and their associated slide decks on three topics: * Arguing for Related Services in an IEP, * Are You Ready to File?, and * Preparing for Cross Examination.
The Practice Tips: Microlearning Path is brought to you by COPAA's Attorney Committee, co-chaired by Craig Goodmark and Jennifer Laviano.
Instructor: Craig Goodmark, Esq.
The Practice Tips learning path features three short videos (10-15 minutes) and their associated slide decks on three topics:
* Arguing for Related Services in an IEP (11 minutes),
* Are You Ready to File? (12 minutes), and
* Preparing for Cross Examination (13 minutes).
Craig Goodmark, Esq.
Attorney and COPAA Board Member
Goodmark Law Firm & COPAA
Since 1999, Mr. Goodmark has dedicated a majority of his practice to representing families, teachers and students in their pursuit of equality, fairness and justice in Georgia’s schools. Mr. Goodmark provides full service legal representation in all types of education law proceedings ranging from appearances at educational planning meetings to representing clients in complex federal litigation.
In addition, Mr. Goodmark works with a variety of stakeholders to ensure that students with disabilities in the most vulnerable circumstances, including court involved youth and those with mental illness or developmental disabilities, received their federally mandated right to free, appropriate public education. Working within the educational, juvenile justice and child welfare systems, Mr. Goodmark has presented to a multitude of stakeholders about the impact of the state and federal education laws on Georgia’s youth with disabilities.
Mr. Goodmark also commits a portion of his practice to securing and enforcing the constitutional rights of Georgia’s citizens. Mr. Goodmark has represented and secured positive outcomes for many clients seeking relief for the unlawful intrusion on their constitutionally guaranteed civil rights. From students unlawfully detained while at school, to teachers illegally terminated after exercising their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, Mr. Goodmark has worked to ensure access to justice through the both state and the federal court system.
CRAIG GOODMARK AT A GLANCE
• Education Law Attorney• Represents Families, Teachers and Students with Disabilities• Focus on Special Education Matters in Georgia• Constitutional/Civil Rights Practice for Georgia’s citizens• Student/Educator First Amendment Claims• Fourth Amendment Search/Seizure Claims• Open Records/Open Meetings Act Issues
