Learn Your IEP Parents Rights

By Olivia Cross


If any child is not at grade level or is having trouble learning in school, an individualized education plan or IEP team meeting is required. This is a civil rights law designed to protect children. It requires a school district to provide what is needed for that student to get the education that is their right. It is important that you know your IEP parents rights.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act or IDEA, was created to help children with learning disabilities. Although they are mandated by the law to do so, not many school districts are very quick to provide the resources. This is the main reason parents need to know how they can advocate for their child.

At the parents request the district is obligated to offer an assessment for free of the child in all areas they are suspected to have learning disabilities. Some of these areas are social and emotional behaviors, health, vision, hearing, fine and gross motor skills, attention deficit problems, meeting potential, and grade level success. Once assessment is complete the school is to call an IEP eligibility meeting to see if the student meets special education services criteria.

Any child identified as eligible becomes part of a protected class under federal and state law. In other words, the district is now mandated to provide the child special education services. However, if the child is found to be ineligible the district does not have to provide any additional services.

If a child is found to be eligible, the school district I required to provide a plan that provides resources, goals, and services. When a plan has been laid out the district must implement an IEP for the particular student. What this means is the student will remain in the general education classroom and he or she receives pushed in or pulled out special education services. The child is ensured of receiving benefits of an education with these services.

There are some districts that deliberately prevent students from being recognized as eligible for special education services. This is because school districts do not want to spend money on students who have trouble learning. Some people believe that school boards deliberately provide a restricted budget to school administrators for special education services. In every IEP meeting there is a member responsible for the budget.

A child with learning disabilities is in a protected class and is to be treated equally receiving educational benefits. This consists of getting important supplementary resources so they are able to learn to the extent that the other children do in their class. The IDEA is not like other civil rights laws in that it requires parents to enforce the rights of their children.

It is vital that parents know their rights I order to ensure the rights of the student are protected. Many parents are informed that their student is not eligible for these resources. Even though every district is required by law to provide resources and services, school board politics often overrides this important law.




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