Do you know your child’s education rights?
- J. Alvarado
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
As a parent or guardian you have the right to know what options are available for your child. If your child experiences difficulties in school, there are things you can do to request the school help your child. The law protects your child’s right to receive services available for a specific disability, making a request for diagnosis, and support their learning abilities. You can be an advocate for your child to work with the school in making sure your child gets the proper education to advance in school.
In 1975 the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA) was introduced because children were being denied the opportunities to learn as only 1 out of 5 students with disabilities were educated in U.S. schools. Some states also had laws denying education to children who were deaf, blind, emotionally disturbed or had an intellectual disability.
IDEA is a federal law to prevent discrimination and ensures children with disabilities receive free and appropriate public education (FAPE). These protections cover many school-related functions which we will dive deep into but these are 4 protections offered to students:
1. FAPE: Free and Appropriate Public Education up to 22 years old.
2. LRE: Least Restrictive Environment – ensures that children are placed in learning environments that are the closest to the general education experiences to their peers.
3. IEP: Individualized Education Program – formal assessments and documents used by a team of school staff, including YOU, to monitor your child’s progress on the goals set by the team.
4. 504 Plan: Accommodations for your student to continue participating in the least restrictive environment. The plan addresses any changes made to the students learning such as additional time, sensory items, video or audio enhancements.
For more information please contact Canyon Children’s Legal Services serving the Inland Empire: 951-777-4510. “We strive so your children can thrive”
Made possible in part by a grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation
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