* The attorneys and advocates of the Education Law program at the Legal Aid Society of Rochester provide support and legal representation to youth and their families in a variety of circumstances, including: School Attendance. Committee on Special Education (CSE) meetings. Section 504 Plan meetings. Formation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and section 504 Plans. Student Discipline. Superintendent Suspension Hearings and Manifestation Determination Hearings. School Residency, and Enrollment cases, including Homeless cases. Responsibilities and Rights of Youth, Parents & Schools. Student Health and Safety - including bullying. Transportation matters. Sports elegibility. Independent educationl evaluations. General education appeals to the Commisioner.

Resource Center located on the East Side of Buffalo. Operates several unique programs that improve the lives of those who live and own businesses in the MLK District. The Better Schools Better Neighborhoods (BSBN) Collaborative is comprised of businesses, institutions, faith-based organizations, block clubs, schools, property owners, and residents that live or work in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park area. Its primary goal is to create a family-friendly neighborhood where everyone loves to live, work, and raise their families for generations. The MRC Block Club Development program provides training sessions to community members who want to create their own local block clubs and neighborhood watch programs, along with computer literacy classes. The Small Business Development Program helps build long-term success by providing small local businesses with case management, advocacy, guidance, and assistance with funding applications. MRC offers the following free services open for public use: - Wi-Fi - Copy and fax services - Computer lab - Community telephone to make and receive calls - Meeting space with projector and screen for individuals or groups to plan workshops, training, and meetings - Job board (updated daily) - Bulletin board and space to leave leaflets and flyers about community business and programs Staff provide the following assistance: - Food pantry referrals - Assistance for Buffalo Public School parents with advocating for their children in schools and navigating the programs and resources available in the district - Block Club Assistance: Community members can register new block clubs and have flyers made for their club events - Assistance for local businesses with getting facade renovations done on their properties through the Better Buffalo Fund

A family-driven service in which caregivers partner with a Family Peer Advocate who has lived experience helping parents navigate systems more effectively, learn from the experiences of other families, decrease isolation, and gain hope, ideas, and information. Families can enroll in one or all of the following service components to best meet their needs: - Individual Mentoring & Skills Development: Can be delivered in the home, community and/or office. A Family Peer Advocate provides mentoring, skills development, support, and information on community resources and linkage to other services. - Empowerment Groups: These services are support groups offering community resources, parent connections, and skills development. This service gives parents/caregivers an opportunity to connect and build natural community supports with other parents/caregivers with similar challenges. - Family Advocacy: This service is short term and provides instruction and support around advocacy in areas such as School and Committee of Special Education (CSE), court (preparedness and support), and systems navigation (working with providers in various systems of care). - Parent Education: Offers a variety of trainings and parenting classes throughout the year.

A family-driven service in which caregivers partner with a Family Peer Advocate (FPA) who has lived experience helping parents navigate systems more effectively, learn from the experiences of other families, decrease isolation, and gain hope, ideas, and information. Families can enroll in one or all of the following service components to best meet their needs: - Individual Mentoring & Skills Development: Can be delivered in the home, community and/or office. A Family Peer Advocate provides mentoring, skills development, support, and information on community resources and linkage to other services. - Empowerment Groups: These services are support groups offering community resources, parent connections, and skills development. This service gives parents/caregivers an opportunity to connect and build natural community supports with other parents/caregivers with similar challenges. - Family Advocacy: This service is short term and provides instruction and support around advocacy in areas such as School and Committee of Special Education (CSE), court (preparedness and support), and systems navigation (working with providers in various systems of care). - Parent Education: Offers a variety of trainings and parenting classes throughout the year. Also offers GLOW Youth Peer Support, in which youth partner with a Youth Peer Advocate (YPA) who has lived experience navigating systems of care. The YPA supports youth in their resiliency, recovery, and wellness efforts by providing assistance in the following areas: - Skill Building - Coaching: Enhancing resiliency/recovery oriented attitudes (i.e., hope, confidence, and self-efficacy) - Engagement, Bridging, and Transition Support - Self-Advocacy, Self-Efficacy, & Empowerment - Community Connections & Natural Supports

Provides coordinators to assist and support families to understand the current system of services and benefits, and how to navigate them, also links families to medical and rehabilitation services in the community. Also educates families, individuals, and care providers on brain injury and its impact, connects families and individuals to other support groups, and offers support and advocacy for families dealing with the school system.

Advocacy services for students with special education needs

Rehabilitative services offered to children ages birth to 5 years suspected or diagnosed with a developmental disability and/or delay, and offers education advocacy for preschool age children which help parents to learn about support services and educational options.

Rehabilitative services offered to children ages birth to 5 years suspected or diagnosed with a developmental disability and/or delay, and offers education advocacy for preschool age children which help parents to learn about support services and educational options.

Advocate available to train parents regarding a school's responsibilities to students with disabilities. Advocate can also contact schools on behalf of a parent to inquire about how to get specific services for their child.

A family-driven service in which caregivers partner with a Family Peer Advocate who has lived experience helping parents navigate systems more effectively, learn from the experiences of other families, decrease isolation, and gain hope, ideas, and information. Families can enroll in one or all of the following service components to best meet their needs: - Individual Mentoring & Skills Development: Can be delivered in the home, community and/or office. A Family Peer Advocate provides mentoring, skills development, support, and information on community resources and linkage to other services. - Empowerment Groups: These services are support groups offering community resources, parent connections, and skills development. This service gives parents/caregivers an opportunity to connect and build natural community supports with other parents/caregivers with similar challenges. - Family Advocacy: This service is short term and provides instruction and support around advocacy in areas such as School and Committee of Special Education (CSE), court (preparedness and support), and systems navigation (working with providers in various systems of care). - Parent Education: Offers a variety of trainings and parenting classes throughout the year.

Offers legal advice, advocacy, and representation for families who have questions or issues with a school district who is not giving students needed special education services.

Advocate is available to accompany a parent or guardian to a Committee on Special Education CSE meeting, or meet with a parent to discuss a strategy for CSE meeting.

Provides advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families regarding school-related issues, or any area where the client is in need of advocacy.

Rehabilitative services offered to children ages birth to 5 years suspected or diagnosed with a developmental disability and/or delay, and offers education advocacy for preschool age children which help parents to learn about support services and educational options.

Provides assistance to students who may encounter problems in school and need help to address the situation.

Presentation for parents and professionals to familiarize themselves with New York State regulations on special education. A "walk through" of the special education process.

Offers parent advocates who assist parents of children with disabilities, to learn what community services are available, and how to apply for these services, along with accompanying parents to Committee for Special Education Education meetings. Parents are instructed in educational terminology and are exposed to standards and tenets of special education, such as the right to the least restrictive environment.

Provides free assistance with school-related questions and concerns to families of children with developmental disabilities, on an individual case basis, to resolve specific or ongoing educational concerns.

Provide referral and information to families of individuals with developmental disabilities who are searching for information, options, support or assistance in their advocacy efforts. Also works to enhance the decision making capacity of the family and provide orientation regarding the nature and impact of developmental disabilities upon the individual and their family, and inform them about service alternatives.

Provides advocacy to resolve any educational problems including those related to academic failure, a disability, emotional problems, developmental delays, homelessness, return to school after hospitalization or incarceration, re-entry of dropouts, discipline issues such as suspensions, school challenges of residency or guardianship, school transportation problems, etc. Resolves problems in public or private schools, pre-school, and the Early Intervention program. Services can be obtained year-round and parents are encouraged to still call during the summer.

* Offers free civil legal services to low-income residents: Education Law. Employment discrimination. Foreclosure prevention. Health care access. Health care insurance. Medicaid (for clients outside of the LawNY coverage area). Social Security Law & SSI/SSD. Wage theft. Victims of crime. Civil Rights/Discrimination. Disability Law/ADA Enforcement.

* Provides treatment of autism and related disorders.* Offers school consultation and parent training for autism related issues.

Believing that every child in New York State deserves fair opportunity to achieve the learning standards established by NYS Board of Regents, the Alliance for Quality Education formed to increase resources for education so that every public school can provide quality education to all of its students.

Provides migrant students in Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, and Wayne counties with educational and support services including in-school and/or in-home tutoring, summer tutoring, educational field trips, family literacy, preschool education, outreach, interpretation and advocacy.

Offers on-site English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in migrant labor camps and for out-of school youth ages 16 to 21 years.

Provides students in grades 7th through 12th with activities designed to promote career awareness, explore post-secondary options, perform community service and develop leadership skills.

* Provides treatment of autism and related disorders.* Offers school consultation and parent training for autism related issues.