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