The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) lists five special factors that the IEP team must consider in the development, review, and revision of each child’s IEP.
Ask for an Independent Evaluation If you think the school’s evaluation does not accurately measure your child’s need for special education, you may get an independent education evaluation (IEE) at your own expense and/or request an independent evaluation at the school’s expense. Download a sample letter for requesting an independent evaluation from the IDEA Manual > Independent evaluations are done by qualifed persons who are not employed by the school. You may ask the school how and where to get an independent evaluation or you may get the independent evaluation done by someone not recommended by the school, as long as this [...]
The Individual Education Program (IEP) is a written plan, designed just for one student. It is an agreement between the school and parents on how the student will be educated. Although the IEP is not as detailed as a teacher’s lesson plan, it must contain measurable annual goals in each area of need. The IEP states what special education and related services and supplemental aids and services the school will provide, and when and where those services will be provided. The IEP must consider and address the academic, developmental, and functional needs of the student. Services must be based on peer-reviewed [...]
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, including federal funds. Section 504 provides that: “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance . . .”1 The U.S. Department of Education (ED) enforces Section 504 in programs and activities that receive funds from ED. Recipients [...]
Don’t wait until your child’s eligibility for special education has been determined before taking steps to learn about the special education process, your child’s disability and needs, and how to help your child learn! Here are five things you can do while you wait! […]
During the school year, a parent or another member of your child's IEP team might decide that a student’s IEP needs a slight adjustment that may not warrant a full team meeting. When changes are small or limited to a particular service, amending without waiting for a meeting can be a useful way to quickly enact the change. For example, a new semester or school year might mean that goals or services need tweaking to work in the new setting. These adjustments may not require consulting with the entire IEP team. Similarly, a conversation between the parent and a speech [...]
