Diane Lipton Award for Outstanding Educational Advocacy Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc.

Applications due December 1, 2009

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.

COPAA's award honors the memory of Diane Lipton, a tireless advocate for children with disabilities for over two decades. She began as a parent-advocate on behalf of her own daughter, Chloe, who had been placed in a segregated school, separated from her nondisabled peers by a chain link fence. Diane became an attorney for the Disabilities Rights Education and Defense Fund, where she championed the civil rights of children with disabilities. She advised President Clinton on special education issues and helped shape the laws prohibiting schools from segregating children with disabilities. In memory of Diane, COPAA honors individuals who are exceptionally dedicated to the rights of children with disabilities.

Previous recipients of the Diane Lipton Award have included Wendy Byrnes (2006), Kathleen Boundy (2007), Judith Gran (2008), and Ellen Chambers (2009).

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.