USED/OSEP Guidance

Endrew F. Question and Answer Document

In March of this year the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District Re-1. In this decision, the court held that “to meet its substantive obligation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a school must offer [a child] an IEP [individualized education program] reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.”

What impact will this Supreme Court decision have on the implementation of IDEA? The U.S. Department of Education seeks to answer this question (and many others) in the Q&A document just released (December 7, 2017). It reviews the facts and findings of Endrew F., discusses how the Supreme Court decision clarifies the standard for determining FAPE and educational benefit to children with disabilities, and explores considerations for implementation.

Read more about ED’s Question and Answer document here.

72 Guidance Documents Rescinded by OSERS

(2017, October) | Useful to Parent Centers and special education administrators in keeping up to date with guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. As of October 2, 2017, the U.S. Department of Education has withdrawn 72 guidance documents as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to do away with “unnecessary regulatory burdens.” The rescinding […]

Creating Safe, Supportive Learning Environments for Children with Disabilites | OSEP Webinar

(2017, March) | Useful to: Parents, educators, and policy makers seeking to establish safe and supportive learning environments.   There is a growing evidence base on the relationship between positive learning environments, child development, and academic achievement. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)’s second symposium highlights core principles related to creating and maintaining safe and […]

Department of Education Memo to States on 1% Cap

(2017, May) | Useful to: Policy makers working within the confines of, or striving to meet, the 1% cap for AA-AAAS   On May 16, 2017, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Office of State Support (OSS) jointly issued a memorandum to state assessment directors, state Title I directors, and state special education […]

One-Stop List of Recent Guidances from the U.S. Department of Education

July 2017 Looking for a one-stop list to the guidance and resource packages that came out of the U.S. Department of Education in 2016 (there were so many!)—and now in 2017? (For your easy identification, we’ve marked what’s new in 2017 with the word New!) Here you go! Our list is organized by topic, as follows: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity […]

Eligibility Determinations for Children Suspected of Having a Visual Impairment Including Blindness

(2017, May) | Useful to: Parent Centers, state agencies, district agencies, and schools concerned with eligibility determinations for children suspected of having a visual impairment, including blindness. This memo was issued by OSEP to reinforce the key points made in its November 12, 2014 Letter to Kotler that addressed whether an SEA or LEA is […]

A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities

(2017, May) | Useful to: Parent Centers and families involved in transition of students with disabilities to postsecondary education and employment.

On March 27, 2017, President Trump signed Public Law No. 115-13, rescinding the Department of Education’s regulations relating to accountability and state plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). OSERS has removed references to the now rescinded ESSA regulations and reissued “A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities.”
Access the revised Transition Guide

OSEP English to Spanish Translation Glossary

This 2nd Edition of the OSEP Glossary of Spanish Translations of Common IDEA Terms includes over 400 terms related to IDEA Parts B and C. These terms were selected by experienced translators from parent centers who worked with families with children with disabilities representing the majority of Spanish speaking cultures in Latin America and Spain. […]

Know Your Rights in Charter Schools

(2016, December) | Useful to Parent Centers for sharing with staff, students with disabilities, families, schools, and other stakeholders. On December 28, 2016, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at U.S. Department of Education released a set of guidance resources on the rights of students with […]

On the Legal Limits of Using Restraint or Seclusion

(2016, December) | Useful to Parent Centers for sharing with staff, students with disabilities, families, schools, and other stakeholders. The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education has released a suite of resources on the use of restraint and seclusion in public schools. This suite includes the following: Dear Colleague Letter on […]