COPAA is accepting nominations for the Diane Lipton Award for Outstanding Educational Advocacy on behalf of children with disabilities

The award is given to an individual or group of individuals who have made a particularly exceptional and outstanding contribution to COPAA’s primary

mission: obtaining high-quality educational services for children with disabilities.  Any individual or group is eligible for the award, including special education attorney and advocates.  COPAA recognizes there are different ways to advocate for children with disabilities, including advocacy efforts to obtain FAPE and other important rights for children, activities in court, teaching effective advocacy, policy advocacy, exceptional service to COPAA and other activities. Applications must include clearly documented evidence of the honoree’s exemplary activities.

The nomination must explain in specific detail the nominee’s particularly outstanding contributions on behalf of children with disabilities.

Nominations must be made by a COPAA member with knowledge of the nominee’s activities. It is not necessary for the nominee to be a COPAA Member.  The Diane Lipton Award winner will be recognized at COPAA’s annual conference with presentation of a plaque during the Saturday Awards Luncheon, and, at the discretion of the Board, the recipient will receive complimentary attendance at the main conference, airfare and hotel.  The recipient will be asked to deliver an acceptance speech at the Awards Luncheon.

Nominations may be submitted to awards@copaa.org and must be received by December 1, 2009.  The Awards Committee will make a recommendation to the Board thereafter.  The Board will decide on the recipient at the January 2010 Board meeting.