Family Road Map Guide

Review: How Your Child Gets Special Education
Services
The Basics:
• A federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004) guarantees that a
student with disabilities will receive a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) that is “designed to meet
his or her unique needs.”
• When the evidence shows that your child’s needs cannot be met in the regular education program, he or she is
entitled to an individualized program of special education services.
TO GET THESE SERVICES, THE PARENT AND SCHOOL MUST (ORDINARILY) GO THROUGH THE
STEPS BELOW. This is a general explanation of the process. Regulations (and what things are called) can be different
from state to state, so it’s important to start learning how the system works where YOU live. Fact sheets and workshops
produced by advocacy groups can be a big help. Your state’s department of education website may have useful information,
too.
Your child has symptoms:
1. physical
2. behavioral
3. developmental
STEP 1
The school receives
a request to evaluate
your child. That starts
a timeline (number
of days by which the
school must act or
respond).
Your child’s school will have to carry out a school evaluation for your child to
be certified to receive special education services. A request for a school evaluation is
made in writing by:
• you (the parent) OR
• your child’s teacher OR
• other school staff OR
• a state child protection agency
If the school AGREES, you must sign
a form giving permission to evaluate your
child.
The Parent Consent form includes:
• areas to be tested
• why these areas are being tested
If the school DOESN’T AGREE, you
may appeal this decision to a state
agency, using due process rights. The
school must explain these rights to you.
STEP 2
The school system
gathers information
about your child’s
condition, abilities,
and school
performance.
A school assessment team is formed to evaluate your child. The team usually
includes the school psychologist and may include other school specialists, depending
on the child’s problems.
The team gathers information using:
• Standardized tests, checklists, and health history
• Observation of the child
• Information reported by you, the teachers, and others involved in your child’s
education or treatment
• Evidence about methods the school used to handle the problem in the regular
program (Response to Intervention).
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