| Following the passage of the Individuals | | | | others, depending on the specific needs |
| with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA | | | | of the child As a parent, you decide |
| 97), parents of children with special | | | | whether to have your child assessed.When |
| needs have become even more important | | | | you choose to do so, you will be asked |
| members of their child's education team, | | | | to sign a permission form, which |
| working with educators to develop a plan | | | | describes the kinds of people involved |
| that will help their child succeed in | | | | in the process and the types of tests |
| the public school system. This is not | | | | they use. These tests may include |
| available in the private school system, | | | | measures of specific school skills, such |
| unfortunately.This individualized | | | | as math or reading, as well as more |
| education plan (IEP) describes the goals | | | | general developmental skills, such as |
| the team has set for the child for the | | | | language and speech. Once the team |
| school year as well as any special | | | | members complete their individual |
| supports that are needed to help achieve | | | | assessments, they develop a |
| those goals.Who Needs an IEP?A child who | | | | Comprehensive Evaluation Report (CER) |
| has difficulty functioning and/or | | | | that compiles their findings and |
| learning and has been identified as a | | | | outlines the skills and support the |
| special needs student is the perfect | | | | child will need. The parents then have a |
| candidate for an IEP.Children who are | | | | chance to review the report before the |
| struggling in school may qualify for | | | | IEP is developed.Development of an IEP |
| support services, allowing them to be | | | | The next step is an IEP meeting at which |
| taught in a special way, for a variety | | | | the team and parents decide what will go |
| of reasons:learning disabilities | | | | into the plan. In addition to the |
| autism | | | | evaluation team, a regular teacher needs |
| attention deficit hyperactivity | | | | to be present to offer suggestions about |
| disorder | | | | how the plan can help the child's |
| developmental delay | | | | progress in the standard education |
| emotional disorders | | | | curriculum.At the meeting, the team will |
| hearing impairment | | | | discuss your child's educational needs - |
| mental retardation | | | | as described in the Comprehensive |
| speech or language impairment | | | | Evaluation Report - and come up with |
| visual impairmentOther children, who | | | | specific, measurable short-term and |
| have advanced skills, either overall or | | | | annual goals for each of those needs. |
| in one specific area of learning such as | | | | When you attend this meeting, you can |
| math or reading, may need an enriched | | | | take an active role in helping to |
| education curriculum so they don't | | | | develop the goals and determining which |
| become bored. In most cases, the | | | | skills or areas will receive the most |
| services and goals outlined in an IEP | | | | attention. The cover page of the IEP |
| can be provided in a standard public | | | | outlines the support services your child |
| school environment. This can be done in | | | | will receive and how often they will be |
| the regular classroom (for example, a | | | | provided (for example, counseling once |
| reading teacher helping a small group of | | | | per week and physical therapy four times |
| children who need extra assistance while | | | | per week).Support services may include |
| the other kids in the class work on | | | | audiology, counseling, hearing or vision |
| reading with the regular teacher) or in | | | | therapy, nursing, medical services, |
| a special resource room in the regular | | | | occupational or physical therapy, |
| school. The special resource room can | | | | special education, speech therapy, and |
| serve a group of children with similar | | | | many others. If the team recommends |
| needs who are brought together for help. | | | | several services, the amount of time |
| However, children who need intense | | | | they take in the child's school schedule |
| intervention may be taught in a | | | | can seem overwhelming. To ease that |
| different special school environment, | | | | load, some services may be provided on a |
| depending on their needs.These classes | | | | consultative basis. In these cases, the |
| have fewer students per teacher, | | | | professional consults with the teacher |
| allowing for more individualized and at | | | | to come up with strategies to help the |
| times one-on-one attention. In addition, | | | | child but doesn't offer any hands-on |
| the teacher usually has specific | | | | instruction.For instance, an |
| training in helping children with | | | | occupational therapist may suggest |
| special educational needs, and may be a | | | | accommodations for a child with fine |
| "special education resource teacher".The | | | | motor problems that affect their |
| children spend most of their day in a | | | | handwriting, and the classroom teacher |
| special classroom and join the regular | | | | would incorporate these suggestions into |
| classes for nonacademic activities (like | | | | the handwriting lessons being taught to |
| gym and music) or in academic activities | | | | the entire class. Other services can be |
| in which they don't need extra help. | | | | delivered right in the classroom, so the |
| Because the goal of IDEA 97 is to make | | | | child's day isn't interrupted.For the |
| sure that each child is educated in the | | | | same child who has difficulty with |
| least restrictive environment possible, | | | | handwriting, an occupational therapist |
| usually every effort is made to help | | | | might work one-on-one with them while |
| children stay in a regular classroom as | | | | everyone else practices their |
| much as possible.However, when the | | | | handwriting skills. When deciding how |
| child's needs are best met in a special | | | | and where services are offered, the |
| education class, then they may be placed | | | | child's comfort and dignity need to be a |
| in one.The Referral and Evaluation | | | | top priority.The IEP will be reviewed |
| ProcessThe referral process generally | | | | annually to update the goals and make |
| begins when a parent or teacher notices | | | | sure the levels of service meet your |
| a child is having trouble in the | | | | child's needs. However, IEP's can be |
| classroom, and the parent or teacher | | | | changed at any time on an as-needed |
| notifies the school counselor or school | | | | basis. If you think your child needs |
| psychologist. The first step is to | | | | different, fewer or more services, you |
| gather specific data regarding the | | | | can request a meeting and bring the team |
| student's progress and/or academic | | | | together to discuss your concerns.What |
| challenges and difficulties.This may be | | | | Are Your Legal Rights? Specific |
| done through:a conference with the | | | | timelines ensure that the development of |
| parents | | | | an IEP moves from referral to providing |
| a conference with the student, age | | | | services as quickly as possible. Be sure |
| dependent | | | | to ask about this time frame and pick up |
| analysis of the student's performance | | | | a copy of your Parents' Rights when your |
| (attention, behavior, class work, | | | | child is referred.These guidelines |
| homework, quizzes, tests, work | | | | (sometimes called Procedural Safeguards) |
| completion, etc.) | | | | outline your rights as a parent to |
| observation of the student in their | | | | control what happens to your child |
| normal school environmentHaving this | | | | during every step of the process. The |
| information helps school personnel | | | | Parents' Rights also describe how you |
| determine the next step.At this point, | | | | can proceed if you disagree with any |
| strategies that are specific to the | | | | part of the comprehensive evaluation |
| student could be implemented for a | | | | report or the individualized education |
| period of time, which may help them | | | | plan - mediation and Due Process |
| become more successful in school. If | | | | hearings are both options.You can obtain |
| this doesn't work, then the child would | | | | information about free or low-cost legal |
| need to be tested for a specific | | | | representation from the school district, |
| learning disability to help determine | | | | or, if your child is in Early |
| whether they qualify for special | | | | Intervention (for kids ages 3 to 5), you |
| education services. It is very important | | | | can get info through that |
| to note, though, that the presence of a | | | | program.Special Educational Attorneys |
| disability does not automatically | | | | and Child Right's Advocates familiar |
| guarantee the child will receive special | | | | with the IEP process will provide paid |
| education services.For a child to be | | | | representation when you need it.You may |
| eligible, the disability must affect the | | | | also invite anyone who knows or works |
| child's functioning at their public | | | | with your child to be a part of the IEP |
| school.To determine a child's | | | | team when you feel their input would be |
| eligibility, a multidisciplinary team of | | | | helpful.A Final Important NoteThe IEP |
| professionals will evaluate the child | | | | process is very complex, however, it's |
| based on their observations; the child's | | | | also an effective way to develop a plan |
| performance on standardized tests; and | | | | that addresses how your child functions |
| daily work such as class work, homework, | | | | and learns.When you have concerns, do |
| quizzes, and tests. The professionals on | | | | not hesitate to ask questions about the |
| the evaluation team may include:a | | | | evaluation findings or the goals |
| psychologist | | | | recommended by the team.You know your |
| a hearing or vision specialist | | | | child best of all and you need to play a |
| an occupational therapist | | | | central role in creating a learning plan |
| a physical therapist | | | | tailored to your child's specific |
| a special education teacher | | | | needs.Dore E. |
| a speech therapist | | | | |