Special Education 101

In a recent appellate court decision that the Law Office of Meagan Nunez previaled on, the Ninth Circuit appeared to recognize an important facet of the IEP process that Parents know too well: the District has a natural advantage over Parents throughout the IEP process. The Districts deal with IEPs everyday, whereas for Parents, many of them are experiencing it for the very first time.

Knowing the basics of Special Education can go a long way in your journey advocating on the behalf of your child.

What is an IEP?

An individualized education program (IEP) is the document that describes the educational program that has been designed for your child with special needs.

Learn more about what exactly the IEP is and what rights come along with it.

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Disabilities and What to Look For

When a student begins having problems in school, a disabling condition may often be the source.

Learn more about what to look for to see if your child might need an IEP.

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Eligibility Criteria

Not every child with a disability necessarily requires an IEP. The law establishes specific criteria to determine whether a child qualifies for an IEP or not.

Learn more about what criteria your child must meet in order to qualify.

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The Difference Between Section 504 and IEPs

Sometimes a Student might be given a Section 504 plan instead on an IEP. These provide accomodations but are ery different from an IEP and provide different rights.

Learn more about the differences between a 504 and an IEP.

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Referrals and Assessments

The first step in the IEP process is having your child referred for special education and beginning the assessment process.

Learn more about initiating an IEP for your student and having them assessed.

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Independent Educational Evaluations

If you disagree with the results of a District's assesments, you could be an entitled to a private evlaution funded by the District. This is called an IEE.

Learn more about IEEs and what is necessary for it to be funded by the District.

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Continuum of Placement Options

Once you have an IEP the District might refer to the "continuum of placements." This refers to the various program options are available.

Learn more about what those option are and what that means for your Student.

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Least Restrictive Environment

Related to the continuum of placements, the District might discuss whether a placement is the Students "LRE."

Learn more about what the LRE actually refers to and how it should be applied to your child.

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Non-Public Schools

One placement option is the non-public schools. These are private schools that are certified to contract with Districts and provide specialized education.

Learn more about non-public schools and whether it would be a good fit for your child.

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Special Education in Charter Schools

Charter schools are unique but are still considered public schools and must provide FAPE. Thought they often have more limited options than Districts.

Learn more about what special education may look like like at a charter school.

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Hearings and Dispute Resolution

If you disagree with the District's offered IEP for your Student and seek legal recourse, you might find yourself at a due process hearing.

Learn more about what the dispute resolution process looks like.

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