Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

California’s IDEA act was instituted to ensure that free, appropriate public education (FAPE) is available for every child with a disability. Under the IDEA act, school administrations are required to identify every child with a disability, physical, emotional, or mental, and ensure that an Individual Education Program (IEP) is set in place for that child, which is then managed by a designated IEP team.

Under the IDEA act, the IEP team for the disabled child must include:IEPandIDEAlaw

  1. Parents
  2. At least one regular educator
  3. At least one special educator
  4. A public agency representative with knowledge of the educational system
  5. An individual who can interpret the implications of instructional and evaluational guidelines.

For more information on the IDEA act, visit these resources provided by the California District of Education.

Individual Education Program (IEP)

The IEP for a disabled child must include:

  • Measurable annual academic and functional goals
  • Information regarding how the child’s progress will be measured and reported to the parents
  • The specific special education services to be used
  • A schedule of when the specified services will be provided, including when the start date, frequency, duration, and location for the services
  • “Least Restrictive Environment” data which includes estimations of the amount of time the student will spend in regular education settings vs time spent in special education settings each day
  • Yearly reviews and revisions of the IEP in regards to the child’s present levels of academic and functional performance.

For more information on IEPs for children with disabilities, visit this guide created by the California District of Education.

IDEA and IEP Violations

It is extremely important that your child’s IEP is written with your child, and not the school, in mind. Your child’s school should not be putting their budget cuts ahead of your child’s needs. In addition, an IEP, as indicated by the name, is intended to be a specific plan, based upon your child’s individual needs. If your school district is using the same IEP for all of it’s special needs students, they may be violating the terms of the IDEA act. If you believe that your child’s IEP has been violated, we can help.

Questions? Contact us.

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