At the age of majority (age 18-21 in most states), educational rights are transferred from parent to child. In special education, the child becomes responsible for IEP and graduation decisions. This article teaches parents to help their children make decisions. Young adults can discover how to use their new legal rights.
Lynda L. West, Stephanie Corbey, Arden Boyer-Stephens, Bonnie Jones
The No Child Left Behind law requires each school test students in Reading/Language Arts & Math each year in grades 3-8, and at least once more in grades 10-12. In some cases, children eligible for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) services may be able to access testing accommodations or even alternate tests, but parents need to fully understand the implications and potential consequences of participation in the various testing options.
Parents of students in special education often experience confusion and frustration with the special education process. See below for information about ways to help parents understand the process and their parental rights and responsibilities.
This PACER Center fact sheet informs parents about evaluation, a process to help determine whether a child has a disability and what the child’s educational needs might be. The article discusses the reasons why parents might choose to evaluate their child, types of tests available, factors that should be considered when selecting tests, and questions parents should ask when an evaluation is proposed.
What happens after assistive technology is considered in an IEP? The National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI) surveyed educators around the nation to find out. Learn from their “top ten” list of findings on the use and support of AT.
If a Title I school repeatedly underperforms, federal law provides opportunities for students to change schools or obtain additional instructional support. This parent advocacy brief looks at the information parents of students with disabilities need to know and understand in order to maximize these options.
