Special Needs

Articles

...disability doesn't erase those dimensions. Most early intervention programs, school systems, and therapy clinics still teach person-first language as the default....still teach person-first language as the default. It's baked into disability rights law, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). For...

...your child's educational rights under federal law. Understanding...can ask for and what schools are required to provide....governing special education. Schools must provide both simultaneously,...assume FAPE obligates schools to maximize their child's...F. v. Douglas County School District (2017), requires...imaginable standard. A school can meet FAPE even if...

...framework doesn't stop at the school door. The Americans with Disabilities...Don't See. IDEA is specific to schools and early intervention. It...intervention. It gives children the right to a free appropriate public...nearly every setting outside school. Title I covers employment....process hearings within the school system. ADA complaints are...

...charter schools and you...Maybe a school tour guide...that the school "doesn't...charter schools are public...public schools, and they're...district schools. That law...public school to accept...Charter schools can't legally...charter schools have been...Understanding your rights and knowing...Charter Schools Are Bound...Charter schools operate...public schools in areas...charter schools must:...

...child. Either parent or the school can initiate the process....writing. Send it to the school principal or director...education services. The school must respond in writing...timeframe, typically 10 to 15 school days depending on your...on your state. If the school initiates the referral,...evaluation can begin. The school can decline to evaluate....

...doesn't match what the school promised in the meeting....don't understand and the school is moving forward anyway....whether you need a lawyer. Schools count on parents not knowing...need to know to find the right help. Three Types of Help....help you understand your rights, and share what worked...evaluations, negotiate with schools, and prepare you for mediation....

...turns 18 in six months, and the school's transition coordinator has...know. Guardianship strips legal rights from the person under guardianship....guardianship. It hands those rights to someone else. Supported...difference matters because rights, once removed, are extraordinarily...removes all decision-making rights. Limited guardianship restricts...

...fought with that insurance denial, navigated that school district, or figured out which local restaurant...Here's how to find them and evaluate whether they're right for you. Major Online Forums and Facebook Groups....on Reddit: active community covering disability rights, daily living, accessibility, advocacy. Moderated,...

...IEP meeting and the school says no. The service...The placement isn't right. The goals don't match...where parents and schools don't agree. You don't...Understanding Your Rights Under IDEA. Before...protections that include the right to disagree with school...right to disagree with school decisions, request...don't work. When the school makes a decision about...

The school just told you your child...different. You're not alone. Schools use these terms constantly,...education law. It requires schools to provide a Free Appropriate...Rehabilitation Act. This is civil rights law. It prohibits discrimination...disability and requires schools to provide accommodations...you disagree with the school's decisions. What Each...

When your child struggles in school and standard classroom supports...paperwork. It's a federal civil right under the Individuals with...an IEP. That's 15% of public school students. If you're new to...evaluation to understanding your rights as an equal member of your...your child will receive in school. It's created specifically...

...what you know, understanding your rights, and communicating with clarity. The...and communicating with clarity. The school district doesn't need you to be easy....uncertainty into effective advocacy at school, in medical settings, and throughout...records, and correspondence with the school. A three-ring binder with dividers...