S3434 was signed by Governor Murphy on June 16, 2021. It allows students who turned 21 during the 2020-2021 to continue to receive special education, related services, and transition services through at least the 2021-2022 school year. These services must be provided to those students during the 2021-2022 school year when the Individualized…

This guide is meant to help parents, schools, and community members use the Kansas Special Education Process Handbook. The parent guide to the Kansas Special Education Process Handbook was written by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). It is a start for learning about special education requirements. It is recommended to use this guide…

This guide is designed to help advocates--including biological and adoptive parents, resource parents, adult students in foster care, and service providers--understand and advocate for the educational rights of children in New Jersey's foster care system. The guide explains the requirements of federal and state laws that particularly affect these…

The topic of special education can be confusing and frightening for parents who suspect their child has a disability or has difficulty learning. Parents in this situation want to know how to get help for their child. This guide is intended as a reference for people who have questions about special education for a child. It summarizes the basic…

This handbook was developed to support parents of children with disabilities in understanding the Federal and State requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It provides information that promotes working with the school district to help provide appropriate services to children, while informing parents of their…

On November 14, 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in "Schaffer v. Weast." This special education decision concerned which party bears the burden of persuasion when parents challenge a school district's Individualized Education Program (IEP) in a due process hearing. In this article, we define burden of persuasion and…

This manual is designed to help advocates, including parents, obtain special education for children with disabilities residing in New Jersey. It explains the requirements of the federal statute governing special education--the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)--and the federal regulations implementing IDEA, as well as the state…

The manual is intended for training surrogate parents of handicapped children according to Minnesota and federal statutes and regulations. Section 1 provides an overview of the surrogate parent program, noting relevant legislation, functions, rights, and responsibilities. Section 2 reviews the history of special education and related state and…

Children with disabilities have a right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Children differ in mental abilities, sensory development, physical traits, emotional or social behaviors, or communication skills. Some may require modification to their school program or special education and related services in order to benefit from their…

This guidebook is intended to assist parents of children with disabilities who will be returning to the state of Maryland because of Senate Bill 588, which strongly discourages out-of-state placements of individuals with disabilities or other special needs. The first section is on "getting ready" and provides a summary of Senate Bill…

This pamphlet is intended to inform both English and French speaking parents of handicapped children in New York State about rights and services of the special education program. Separate sections cover federal and state law, student assessment, individualized education program development under the committee for the handicapped, and parental…

The booklet offers guidelines to help parents of children with autism become more effective advocates for their children. Following a brief summary of parental rights in the education process, the booklet addresses special education and due process concerns. The hierarchy of procedures in bringing about a resolution of differences between parents…

This document updates "Accommodations: Assisting Students with Disabilities. A Guide for Educators," published by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) in 2003. This document is written to assist school district personnel and parents when making decisions about the use of accommodations by students with disabilities in instructional…

The booklet is designed to emphasize in simple terms the important points of the federal and state (Illinois) law related to special education. The following topics are covered: special education parents (parent role); parent-school partnerships (parent training); mandates for special education; individualized education programs (content,…

The booklet is intended to help parents plan with educators to develop handicapped children's individualized educational programs. An initial section reviews West Virginia State and Federal laws and notes the reasons for and avenues of parent participation. Steps in education planning are then outlined for identification/referral,…