COPAA Invites Proposals for the
11th Annual COPAA Conference
March 5-8, 2009 at the Capital Hilton, Washington DC

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) is an independent, nonprofit organization of attorneys, advocates and parents. Our primary mission is to secure high quality education services for children with disabilities.

COPAA is premised on the belief that the key to effective educational programs for children with disabilities is collaboration – as equals – by parents and educators. Disseminating knowledge of protections under the law, advocacy strategy, and educational best practice is an important part of leveling the playing field.

Approximately 350-400 registrants are expected to attend the conference this year.

(Note: Attorneys who represent education agencies and current employees of education agencies are not eligible to attend the conference or submit proposals.)

Deadline for Proposals

Proposals must be received on or before September 5, 2008 to be eligible for consideration.

Submit Proposals Online Here

Please read the following information entirely before submitting your proposal.

Audience

Attendees will include attorneys, special education advocates, parents and educational professionals who are not current employees of an education agency. Registrants’ level of knowledge of the law and best practices relating to the education of children with disabilities will vary widely, from novice through intermediate to advanced. Accordingly, proposals should be developed, and will be clearly identified in the program, for one of those specific levels of knowledge. Proposals that are geared to a specific group of attendees should also be identified.

Content of Proposals

Proposals are sought for break-out-sessions to be held on March 7-8, 2009. These sessions run one hour and 15 minutes (including questions) and are intended to address and review legal and advocacy issues in special education and best educational practices and science related to the education of children with disabilities. This year, with the conference in our nation’s Capital, focus will also be on strategies for regulatory and policy change. Depending on final scheduling, presenters may be asked to repeat their session.

The proposal form is available on the COPAA website and requires the following information:

1. Title of Presentation
2. Description for Brochure (approximately 40 words)
3. Detailed Summary of subject Matter (300 words or less) .
4. Presentation outline
5. Intended audience: attorney, advocate, parent or general
6. Level of Prior Audience Experience: novice, intermediate or advanced
7. Audio-visual equipment requested*
8. Name, current mailing address, telephone and fax number, email address or presenter(s)
9 Presenters’ Biography (2-3 paragraphs for use in program materials, if selected)
10. A copy of presenter’s current resume (submitted as an attachment)

*Please note that renting equipment for Power Point presentations is expensive. We will do everything possible to honor A/V requests, but will appreciate presenters bringing their own LCD projectors and laptops when possible.

Receipt of all proposals will be acknowledged via email.

Selection of Proposals and Development of Program

Selection of proposals will be made by COPAA’s Conference Program Committee. Proposals that are not complete or that are not received by the deadline will not be considered. Preliminary questions concerning proposals should be emailed to Selene Almazan and Wendy Byrnes, 2009 Conference Committee co-chairs at Conference@COPAA.org. However, please recognize that no single person has authority to assure acceptance of a proposal prior to submission and review. Moreover, the Committee reserves the right to select among possible topics it has identified for inclusion in the final program. As a condition of acceptance, and depending upon the type of presentation, submitters may be asked to develop a longer or more detailed outline on or before a specified date. Only those proposals that meet the additional deadline for a longer/more detailed outline will be considered.

Submission of Materials

All speakers agree to provide materials (15 page maximum) to be included in the 2009 COPAA Conference Program and Compendium in the format requested, and by the deadline date (to be announced in acceptance letters). Failure to provide materials within the deadline could result in cancellation of the presentation and, in any event, will be considered in reviewing proposals for future COPAA conferences.

Financial Arrangements

In an effort to keep the conference registration as accessible to as many people as possible, and because COPAA’s resources are limited, no honoraria will be offered to presenters. All presenters are requested to stay at the conference hotel and arrive the evening preceding their presentation. Presenters are invited to attend all conference proceedings and the conference registration fee for the main conference will be waived for all presenters. The registration waiver is good for the main conference, and not for the Pre-conference Skills Training.

Only Two Complimentary Registrations are included per session, regardless of the number of presenters.

All other travel and related expenses are the responsibility of the presenters. No other expenses will be paid, although several meals are provided to all conference participants. At the discretion of the Conference Committee, presenters who are asked to present at General Sessions or full-day pre-conference workshops may also receive complimentary hotel accommodations.

DISCLAIMER: COPAA does not endorse, recommend, or make representations with respect to any services, programs, medications, products, exhibitors, or treatments that may be referenced on the Web site. Reference to any program, service, treatment or therapy option is not an official endorsement by COPAA. The inclusion of any resource, link, or conference exhibitor on COPAA's web site does not imply endorsement or a recommendation.