IFSP: Understanding Individualized Family Service Plans | IDEA Part C
Inside: If your disabled child is in the 0-3 age range, you may have some questions about IDEA part C and Early Intervention Services. Here’s…
Understanding IDEA and Your Parental Rights
This a reminder that nothing on this website should be construed as legal advice.
Good advocacy begins with a solid understanding of IDEA and the state laws that regulate special education. This includes your federally mandated parental rights in the IEP process.
And, we’ve got all of this here for you! I explain it in language parents can understand.
An IEP, or Individualized Education Plan, is a complex document with many different parts. Understanding each part will help you be a better IEP advocate for your child.
I’ve spent over a decade as a Special Education Advocate, and attended hundreds of IEP meetings and more conferences and workshops than I can count.
The Understanding IDEA category provides information and resources on the laws and regulations surrounding the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process.
Here, you will find a wealth of information on understanding the IEP laws, from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to state-specific regulations.
Our expert authors share their knowledge and experiences to help you understand your rights and navigate the complex world of IEP laws.
Whether you’re just starting the IEP process or looking for tips and tricks to make it smoother, this category has you covered. Stay informed and equipped with the latest resources on IEP laws.
10 Differences Between IEP and 504 Plan (and what is the same!)
Inside: Learn the key differences between a 504 and an IEP, so you can make the right decision for your child. Quite often, parents in…
Can a School Ask for Medical Information? Can IEP Teams Force Medication?
Inside: Many schools ask for or demand medical information. Can they do that? Can they require an IEP student to be medicated? We’re answering all…
Suspensions, IEPs and Manifestation Determination Meetings, for Parents.
Inside: A Manifestation Determination Meeting is one of the most stressful parts of the IEP process. Hopefully you never have to do this. But, here’s…
How to Get an Out-of-District Placement (IEP and Special Education)
Inside: You feel that your child’s needs cannot be met in your local school. You want an out of district placement, so how do you…
Wrong Placement? Special Education Placement, explained by a Parent Advocate.
Inside: Do you feel that your child is in the wrong placement? Parents often misunderstand special education placement and out of district placements. So, I’m…
How to Understand IEP Evaluation Results and Prepare for an IEP Eligibility Meeting
Inside: Learn the timelines of the IEP Evaluation Process, including how to interpret some of the IEP assessments and get ready for your IEP eligibility…
IEP Goals not Met? Proving IEP Goals Were not Developed or Made with Fidelity.
Inside: Learn how to understand and troubleshoot an IEP if the child is repeatedly not meeting IEP goals. And, Proving IEP Goals Were not Developed…
Can You Have an IEP and a 504?
Learn what an IEP provides and what a 504 provides, and why it’s not a case of “more is better. Your child should not need both.
Is an IEP a Legal Document?
Inside: Yes, an IEP is a legally binding document. Understand the framework and laws behind IEPs and what to do if you have a legal…
Denied an IEP or 504 Because Grades are Good? What To Do When “His Grades Are Fine!”
What to do if you are denied an IEP because “his grades are fine!”
IEP Laws and IDEA Regulations, Explained: IDEA Laws for all 50 States
IEP Laws and Regulations Several years ago, I was at a fundraiser. It was for an agency that assists disabled people. So, naturally, they had…
What is IDEA Child Find?
“That’s a Child Find issue.You need to report them for Child Find!” If your child has an IEP, chances are you have heard these phrases.
5 Must Read FAQs About Transferring an IEP if you Move
Does your child’s IEP transfer from state to state? Can you remain in the same school if you move? Here’s what you need to know about transferring an IEP.
What are the 6 Principles of IDEA? (and How to Apply at every IEP Meeting)
6 Principles of Special Education I have to open this post with a shout-out to blog reader Mike T. He emailed me a link to…
8 Tips to Prevent and Get Out of Truancy Charges
I looked at the mom/client sitting next to me at truancy court and gave her hand a squeeze. She looked up and gave me a…
What is FAPE? 8 Special Education Court Cases that Defined our Kids’ Rights.
FAPE This trend is really bothersome to me. I have recently had conversations with several different parents who are unfamiliar with the term FAPE or…
Title 1 Schools and Your IEP, Explained.
When the ESEA was enacted over 50 years ago, one concept borne out of that was Title 1 and Title 1 schools. Despite being around…
When an IEP Team Tells a Parent, “We Don’t Do That Here.”
We don’t do that here. I got two inquiries recently that are very similar. Both parents asked for something on their child’s IEP and were…
Is My Teacher or Therapist IDEA Qualified? What if the teacher is not a good fit for my child?
How to Find Out if a Teacher or Therapist is Certified “How do I check if a teacher or therapist is qualified?” “I bet she’s…
Can a School District Refuse to Evaluate a Child for Special Education?
Refused IEP Evaluations Let me be blunt. If your child’s IEP evaluations suck, the rest of your IEP will be garbage. Without good evaluations, the…
What does LEA stand for in Special Education? Understand the LEA Role at your IEP Meeting.
Who or what is the LEA in Special Education? What does it stand for? Can I exclude them from my IEP meeting?
Understanding the Emotional Disturbance IEP Category: IEP Goals, Accommodations, Examples
Emotional Disturbance on your IEP: Understand the criteria for this category, plus a list of IEP goals, accommodations, and teaching strategies.
Off the Books Suspensions: What to Do When the School Calls You
Does your child keep getting sent home from school? Is the school constantly calling you to come pick them up due to behaviors? That’s an informal suspension.
IEP Present Levels of Performance PLOP | Examples | Checklist
IEP Present Levels Ask almost any Special Education Advocate, and they’ll tell you that Present Levels is the most important section of the IEP. Present…
What Are the 14 IDEA Disability Categories? Does it Matter Which Box is Checked?
14 Categories of Disabilities in IDEA There are 14 categories of disabilities listed in IDEA. Autism Deaf-blindness Deafness Developmental delay (DD) Emotional disturbance (ED) Hearing…
Can a School or IEP Team Demand Access to Medical Records or Information?
Can a School Demand Medical Information? I can’t believe that I am even doing a blog post on this topic. But it’s only Tuesday and…
Is AngelSense Legal in Schools? Can I add it to my IEP?
AngelSense My friend and fellow advocate Susan loves to tell this story. One morning she woke up and her son was gone. He is autistic…
Retaking Tests | Why IEP Teams Should Rethink this Accommodation
Retaking Tests Accommodation Allowing a student to retake a test is a very common IEP accommodation. And, at first glance, it seems like a reasonable…
Can I See the School’s Video of an Incident with my Child? | Your Rights Explained.
Watching a School’s CCTV of your Child If you ask the average American, they will tell you that their activities are captured by a video…
Yes, a School can put IEP Parents on a Communication Plan.
Communication Plan for Parents I remember I was working with this client one time. We had held an IEP meeting, and we were wrapping up…
10 OSEP Dear Colleague and Guidance Letters every IEP Parent should Read.
OSEP Dear Colleague Letters Parents, here is another great tool for your advocacy toolkit. And yes, another issue that was brought to my attention in…
5 Times when Parents Must Write to their IEP Team.
The IEP Process As many of you know, along with this website, there is a very large Facebook group. And, at least once a week…
Advocate’s Tip: These Few Short Sentences on your Child’s IEP Could Prevent Suspensions.
Important items that must be on your child’s IEP. “I got a call to pick up my daughter today because she put a child in…
ESY | Extended School Year | ESY Eligibility Criteria | ESY Services
ESY Extended School Year What is ESY? ESY (extended school year) is anything that extends beyond the normal six hours a day, 180 days a…
When your child misses school because there is no nurse or aide | Action Steps for Parents
When your Aide or Para is Absent This issue has me really ticked off lately. Mostly because of how often it is happening. “I’m so…
What Happens if Parents refuse to sign the IEP?
What happens if I don’t sign the IEP? Short answer: Nothing. In most cases. Only 2-3 states require a parent’s signature on the IEP to…
Can a School Suspend a Student with an IEP? | 5 action steps, with or without an IEP or 504 Plan
Can you Suspend a Student with an IEP? It happened again. You were at work, in the middle of…working. And the phone rings again. You…
When does an IEP end? IEP Age Range
When does an IEP end? When does an IEP end? How do you end an IEP? What is the IEP age range?I know what you’re…
Special Education Timelines | When Should the School Respond to IEP Requests or Evals?
IEP Timelines How long does a school have to: respond to IEP email? schedule an IEP meeting? evaluate my child? begin services in a new…
What to Do if you Disagree with your IEP Team about Goals.
I don’t want that IEP goal. I know I’ve told the story several times. The story of my first IEP meeting with my school district….
Special Education Classroom Observation: Rules for Parents Visiting Classrooms
Special Education Classroom Observation “Can I observe my child’s classroom?” I’ve been hearing this one a lot lately. And unfortunately, this issue often brings out…
Child Being Bullied at School? | Advocacy Tips | Legal Rights | Gebser Letter Example
Bullying at School Bullying at school. I hate it. It’s gross and happens everywhere-on the bus, at school. My standard disclaimer is that I am…
Does my child have to ride the Special Ed Bus to get Transportation on our IEP or 504?
Special Education Transportation “It’s the bus. It’s always the bus!” My former supervisor used to say that so often. So many issues around a school…
IEP Cover Page | Double-Check This Item on the Front Page of your Child’s IEP.
IEP Cover Page Imagine for a moment that you are a teacher and it’s the first day of class. Every child is wearing a baseball…
Parent Training on your IEP | Yes, it’s a thing!
Parent Counseling and Training on an IEP One little-known feature of IDEA is the section on parent training. Parents are often unaware that they can…
How To Write a Parent Concerns Letter for your IEP that Gets Noticed | Templates
How to Write IEP Parent Concerns. I’m going to wag my finger at you–from this day forward, you do a Parent Concerns Letter for your…
Can a Parent Record an IEP Meeting? | Recording Laws for 50 States
Recording School IEP Meetings Can you (audio) record your IEP meeting? It’s a question that I’ve seen parents and advocates discuss quite a bit. And…
FERPA vs. HIPAA | Only one applies to IEPs!
HIPAA vs FERPA It’s exhausting. This comes up so often in the group and it’s exhausting. Every few weeks, a teacher will say something, or…
IDEA Procedural Safeguards | The IEP Parents’ Rights Document that most Parents never read.
Special Education Procedural Safeguards Ok, finger-wagging time. Because I know that a very large percentage of parents are not reading your IEP Procedural Safeguards. I can…
IEP Unilateral Placement | What is it? How do I do it?
IEP Unilateral Placements One of the greatest IDEA misunderstandings among parents is the concept of Unilateral Placements. There is a lot of misinformation about them,…
Understanding IEP Eligibility | A Guide for Parents | Flowchart
IEP Eligibility Your child has an IEP. Or they do not. Perhaps they were found ineligible. Maybe you were offered a 504 or RTI instead…
What can I ask for on my child’s IEP? And how do I get my team to agree?
What to Ask for on your IEP “I don’t know what to ask for on my IEP!” That question comes up often in our Facebook…
IEE Independent Education Evaluations | When, Why and How to Request One.
IEE Independent Education Evaluations IEE stands for Independent Education Evaluation. It is a provision of IDEA, listed in the Parents’ Rights Booklet, or Procedural Safeguards….
Parents, You are the IEP Police. Yes, you!
IEP Parent Participation This is a concept that I really need parents to grab on to and internalize. I hope that this brings you that…
Special Factors in the IEP | Parent and Team Considerations
Special Factors in the IEP Most of the questions that we receive as educational advocates are about the implementation of the IEP. Let’s face it….
No-Meet IEP Addendum | What is it? | How to Use it.
IEP No-Meet Amendments In making changes to a child’s IEP after the annual IEP Team meeting for a school year, the parent of a child…
Can a Parent Refuse Special Education Services? What happens next?
It doesn’t happen as often as it used to, but this Special Education Stigma scenario still happens. It goes like this: Parent recognizes that their…
When your Charter School Rejects your Child based upon their IEP Needs.
Charter Schools and IEPs-Special Education Charter Schools and IEPs or Special Education is a very misunderstood concept, even though the law is pretty clear. Some…
Restraint and Seclusion of Special Education Students: Essential Resource Guide for Parents.
Restraint and Seclusion in Schools “Every child deserves to be treated with dignity, be free from abuse, and treated as a unique individual with individual…
How, When (and Why?) Do You Remove an IEP?
Can an IEP be removed? One of the, ahem, benefits of this job is that I get to talk to all kinds of parents. That…
How {and when!} to Request your Child’s School Records. {including IEP files}
School Educational Records We were seated around a huge U-shaped setup. I was directly across from the school district’s attorney, though we were a good…
When should I receive a Draft Copy of the IEP or Evaluations?
Draft IEP Timelines “Well, Mrs. Lightner, we are not going to be making any changes to this IEP today. Oh lordy. Do I remember that…
Yes, your child with an IEP can go on the field trip.
Excluding Students from Field Trips Imagine this–your school is planning a field trip. But, they call you and say “Oh, I’m sorry, your child cannot…
What to Do when your School or Teacher is not following the IEP.
My school is not following the IEP! It’s a common parent complaint. Your school, teacher or IEP team is not following the IEP. In non-compliance. Here…
IEP Homebound Instruction: A Guide for Parents.
IEP Homebound Wow. So I have to do a post on homebound. Granted, I guess at some point, there will be a blog post about…
PWN in Special Education: The little known game-changer in the IEP process.
Prior Written Notice-PWN How many times have you heard phrases like these, at IEP meetings, when you’ve suggested something? “I don’t get it…I did everything…
They said my child is too old to be considered for “developmental delay.”
Developmental Delay It’s weird, right? Your child has had an IEP for years, and his disability classification has always been Developmental Delays. Now, all of…
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