| Do you have a child with autism who has just started | | | | So how do you use these court rulings to help you get |
| receiving special education services? Has your child | | | | your parental rights: |
| with dyslexia been receiving services for several | | | | 1. If special education personnel in your district are not |
| years, but you feel that they are not making academic | | | | allowing you to give input on your child's education and |
| progress? Have your been frustrated over the fact | | | | services write them a letter and tell them that they are |
| that your school district is refusing to listen to your input | | | | violating your rights under IDEA, to be part of the team |
| on what you think your child needs, to benefit from | | | | that determines services for your child. |
| their education? This article will be discussing two | | | | 2. At your child's next IEP meeting write a parent input |
| different court cases on parental rights, and how to | | | | statement. The parent input statement should be one |
| use these ruling's to get parental rights that you are | | | | page, and typed if possible, and include what you think |
| entitled to! | | | | your child needs in their education. This parent input |
| I hear from parents all the time that are frustrated | | | | statement should be brought to your child's IEP |
| because their school district is refusing to allow them | | | | meeting, shared with school personnel, and attached to |
| to have meaningful participation, in determining what | | | | your child's IEP. Remember, that in the Deal case the |
| special education services and placement their child | | | | court found that the parent participation must be |
| needs. | | | | meaningful. |
| There have been many Court decisions about parental | | | | 3. Check with other parents in your school district and |
| rights and you can probably find them through a | | | | see if they are experiencing the same problem you |
| search engine such as google. | | | | are, with trying to have input in your child's education. |
| In a couple of the cases the court held that in order to | | | | 4. If they still refuse, consider filing a state complaint for |
| fulfill the goal of parental participation in the IEP | | | | violation of IDEA. If other parents in your district are |
| process, the school district was required to conduct, | | | | having the same problem, consider filing a systemic |
| not just an IEP meeting, but a meaningful IEP meeting, | | | | complaint. A systemic complaint means that the school |
| They also found that parents have a significant role in | | | | district is violating many parent's rights, not just yours! |
| ensuring that their child receives a free appropriate | | | | IDEA states that parents are members of any team |
| public education, concerns that parents have for | | | | that determines placement and services for their child. |
| enhancing their child's education must be considered by | | | | This would be the issue of your complaint to your |
| the team, and that IDEA grants parents independent | | | | State Department or Board of Education. Include a |
| enforceable rights. | | | | copy of your letter and your parent input statement as |
| These rights which are not limited to certain procedural | | | | evidence that you are trying to have input, and your |
| and reimbursement related matters, encompass the | | | | school district is refusing to allow you to! |
| entitlement to a free appropriate public education for | | | | By having knowledge of what the court has ruled in |
| the parent's child. In other words the rights that IDEA | | | | special education parental right cases you will be able |
| gives parents are found to encompass not only | | | | to effectively advocate for your child! |
| procedural but also substantive rights. | | | | |