IDEA

Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline under Section 504

On July 19, 2022, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services released multiple guidance documents to help public elementary and secondary schools fulfill their responsibilities to meet the needs of students with disabilities and avoid the discriminatory use of student discipline. These newly released resources are the most comprehensive guidance on the civil rights of students with disabilities concerning student discipline, and include: (1) a 41-page guidance on avoiding the discriminatory use of student discipline under Section 504; (2) an accompanying fact sheet summarizing the main points of the guidance; (3) a 57-page Q&A regarding IDEA’s disciplinary provisions; (4) a 19-page technical assistance guide describing positive, proactive approaches to supporing the needs of children with disabilities; and (5) a letter from Secretary of Education Cardona to stakeholders. Read more about and connect with each document in CPIR’s abstract.

OSEP English to Korean Glossary of Terms

BEHOLD: The 2022 Korean-English Glossary of Common IDEA Terms is yours to consult! This A-Z resource is a valuable tool to Parent Centers, community-based and family-focused organizations and health centers, schools, and others who serve Korean-American families, especially those that have children with disabilities. Creating the Korean-English glossary has taken the intense commitment and labor of the Community Inclusion & Development Alliance (CIDA), in collaboration with the Open Doors for Multicultural Families, and with support from OSEP and the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR). The glossary is intended to provide accurate and reliable Korean translations of commonly used terms in special education.

Connect with the Korean glossary of special education terms A-Z as well as learn more about how it was created (and by whom!).

Buzz | “Bread and Butter” Topics of Parent Centers (& Parents)

What concerns and questions do newcomer families often tend to have when they learn that their child has a disability? These, shall we say, are the bread-and-butter of topics that Parent Centers so often address. This Buzz connects you with easy-to-share introductions to and explanations of what many newcomer families need to know. New Parent Center staffers may also find these materials a useful crash course in basic topics related to children with disabilities.

Basic Steps of the Early Intervention Process

This 5-page handout from CPIR shows the 8 basic steps of early intervention, with brief summaries of each step. You can use this handout when introducing families, professionals, and community members to the state’s early intervention system for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or suspected disabilities. Steps 1 and 2, for example, are when the child is referred to the early intervention system, which then evaluates the child to see if he or she does have a delay or disability and is eligible for services. Moving through the steps thereafter, the process ends with Step 8, when the child exits early intervention upon reaching the 3rd birthday.

This handout was created as part of CPIR’s training curriculum on early intervention, Building the Legacy for Our Youngest Children with Disabilities. CPIR is pleased to update it to 2022 and provide it anew, as an accessible PDF and in Word. Read more about the handout and download it here.

Parental Rights under IDEA

Accurate and updated information as of October 2021 En español | In Spanish _____________ The federal regulations for IDEA 2004 include a section (Subpart E) called Procedural Safeguards. These safeguards are designed to protect the rights of parents and their child with a disability and, at the same time, give families and school systems several […]

Return to School Roadmap: Development and Implementation of IEPs in the Least Restrictive Environment

Adding to its Return to School Roadmap series, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at the U.S. Department of Education issues this Q&A document, which highlights certain IDEA requirements related to the development and implementation of IEPs and other information that states, school systems, regular and special education teachers, related services providers, and parents should consider as students with disabilities return to school in Fall 2021.

The 41-page document is the Department’s response to the requests it received from a diverse group of stakeholders, asking that the Department issue new guidance interpreting requirements of the IDEA in light of the many challenges of the COVID‑19 pandemic and as more schools and programs are returning to in-person services. Read more about the Q&A, see its Table of Contents, and access it (and other documents in the Roadmap series) in our abstract of this Featured Resource.

10 Basic Steps in Special Education

When a child is having trouble in school, it’s important to find out why. The child may have a disability. By law, schools must provide special help to eligible children with disabilities. This help is called special education and related services.

There’s a lot to know about the process by which children are identified as having a disability and in need of special education and related services. This section of CPIR’s website is devoted to helping you learn about that process.

This brief overview is an excellent place to start. Here, we’ve distilled the process into 10 basic steps. Once you have the big picture of the process, it’s easier to understand the many details under each step. We’ve indicated throughout this overview where, on our site, you can connect with that more detailed information.

Subpart B of the Part B Regulations: State Eligibility

Current as of October 2017 In Spanish | En español ________________ This pages gives you IDEA’s exact words, without explanation or commentary. The Federal Government maintains online the most up-to-date edition of IDEA’s regulations. Access the e-CFR at: GPO Access. If you’re looking for a summaries of selected key points in IDEA’s state eligibility requirements, we would […]

Derecho de los Padres de Participar en Reuniones

Actualizado, agosto de 2021 Este artículo en PDF | Este artículo en Word In English | En inglés   Los padres tienen el derecho de participar en reuniones con respecto a la identificación, evaluación y ubicación educativa de su niño y la provisión de FAPE (una educación pública gratis y apropiada) al niño, incluyendo las […]

Derecho a Recibir una Explicación Completa Sobre Todas las Garantías Procesales

Actualizado, agosto de 2021 Versión PDF | Versión en Word In English | En inglés Al menos una vez al año, los padres de un niño con una discapacidad deben recibir de la escuela una explicación de todas las garantías procesales disponibles a ellos, como padres, bajo IDEA. Esta explicación se llama la “Notificación Sobre […]