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A primer on the basics of special education
Joplin Globe - 10/28/2018
Oct. 28--Q: What is IDEA?
A: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, is a federal law that makes available a free and appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children. It governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to eligible infants, toddlers, children and youths with disabilities.
Q: When did this become law?
A: President Gerald Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act into law in 1975; it would eventually become IDEA. Congress reauthorized IDEA in 2004 and most recently amended it through the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015.
Q: Who is protected by IDEA?
A: Children from birth through high school graduation or age 21, whichever comes first, are covered under IDEA.
Q: Who is eligible for special education services through IDEA?
A: A child qualifies for special services under IDEA if he or she has autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment (including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), specific learning disability (including dyslexia), speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury and visual impairment (including blindness). A child, in addition to having a disability, must also need special education in order to make progress in school to qualify for IDEA services.
Q: What is an IEP?
A: An IEP, or Individualized Education Program, is a plan or a "map" that specifies the instruction, support and services a child needs to be successful in school. They are given to eligible children in public schools.
Q: How is an IEP created?
A: An IEP is drafted by representatives of both the school and the child's family. It can contain specifics such as instruction time, accommodations, modifications and assistive technology.
Q: What is a school required to do?
A: Under the clause in IDEA that protects students' right to a free and appropriate public education, schools must provide special education to meet a student's unique needs and related services, such as therapy or transportation. The services must be provided at no charge to the family.
Q: What is a school not required to do?
A: A school district isn't required to provide services that are superior to those offered to other students. It also isn't required to provide a specific program or service desired by the parent, as those decisions are made by the IEP team as a whole.
Q: What is the role of states in implementing IDEA?
A: State laws can't contradict IDEA, nor can they provide less than what IDEA requires. But states can -- and do -- provide more protections to students and their families. For example, IDEA requires services to be provided to eligible students in school through age 21, but the state of Michigan chooses to offer services to eligible students until age 26.
Sources: sites.ed.gov/idea, understood.org
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