Special Education is a set of programs that are designed to provide students with disabilities a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). These students must be educated alongside their peers as much as possible, a principle known as the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). IDEA ensures that parents have a significant role in their child's education. The law provides parents with specific rights and protections, known as procedural safeguards, throughout the process. For example, schools must obtain parental consent before providing services to children.
Major principles of Special Education include:
Schools are required to identify and evaluate students who may have disabilities at no cost to families, a mandate known as Child Find.
If a student is found to have a disability, the school must offer special education and related services, such as speech therapy and counseling, through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) tailored to meet the child's unique needs and help them progress in school.
At least annually, the student's IEP team comes together to review the student's progress and determine appropriate services.
At least every three years, the student's IEP team must review the student's continued eligibility and need for special education services.
In the areas below, we describe each component of the special education process in further detail.