SIXTH EDITION Special Education: A Guide for Parents & Advocates  2012 Disability Rights Oregon 610 SW Broadway, Suite 200, Portland OR 97205 Voice: 503-243-2081 or 1-800-452-1694 Fax: 503-243-1738 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.droregon.org Written 1999 by Chuck Levin, Attorney Annie Villegas, Advocate James Wrigley, Attorney Updated 2008 & 2012 by Joel Greenberg, Attorney Susana Ramírez, Advocate Chris Shank, Attorney McKenna Lebens, Communications Specialist Disability Rights Oregon is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are tax-deductible and will be used to promote the rights of Oregonians with disabilities. Portions of this Guide may be reproduced without permission of Disability Rights Oregon, provided that the source is appropriately credited. NOTICE: This Guide contains general information about legal issues and legal rights and is not a substitute for legal advice. For specific information about how special education law affects your child, contact Disability Rights Oregon or your attorney. Disability Rights Oregon [DRO] and Family a nd Community Together [FACT] are pleased to bring you the 6th edition of “Special Educa tion: A Guide for Parents & Advocates.” As Oregon’s designated Protection & Advocac y [P&A] System for 35 years, DRO has a unique role: to uphold the legal rights of people with disabilities. FACT is a family leadership organization working collaborativ ely to facilitate positive change in policies, systems, and attitudes, through family suppor t, advocacy, and partnerships. By combining the legal expertise of DRO with FACT’s statew ide contact with families, our organizations seek to make this invaluable information a ccessible to Oregon families experiencing disability. DRO and FACT share a vision: a vision of a future where people with disabilities will experience full equality of opportunity and full participation in society. One of the first Purpose of this Guide steps to attaining this goal is empowering families with information regarding their children’s education early on, so that they can advocate for the free and appropriate This Guide was written to provide parents and advocates with accurate information and education [FAPE] that their child is entitled to in the Individuals with Disabilities answers to questions about special education for children enrolled in Oregon’s public Education Act. schools from Kindergarten to 21 years of age. The information in the Guide reflects recent changes to the major federal and state laws and regulations that affect special education. Likewise, understanding the nuances of an individualized education plan [IEP] and how to be an effective member of the team is critically important for families. If issues arise, While we may make references to students enrolled in private school, parents of private you will want to be familiar with your child’s rights and steps to resolve disputes. school students should consult the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) website, which has a section on Special Education for Parentally Placed Private School Students: Parent participation in the IEP process is important from early intervention to the www.ode.state.or.us. transition into adulthood. FACT and DRO invite you to use this guide as a reference any time you have a question pertaining to your child’s special education services. Please see our websites (www.factoregon.org and www.droregon.org) for additional resources. We look forward to hearing from you! Bob Joondeph Roberta Dunn Executive Director, DRO Executive Director, FACT Purpose of this Guide This Guide was written to provide parents and advocates with accurate information and answers to questions about special education for children enrolled in Oregon’s public schools from Kindergarten to 21 years of age. The information in the Guide reflects recent changes to the major federal and state laws and regulations that affect special education. While we may make references to students enrolled in private school, parents of private school students should consult the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) website, which has a section on Special Education for Parentally Placed Private School Students: www.ode.state.or.us. Table of Contents Purpose of this Guide....................................................................................................................v Chapter 1: An Introduction to Special Education..........................................................................1 What is the history of special education legislation?...........................................................1 What is FAPE?....................................................................................................................1 Who is eligible?.................................................................................................................1 What disabilities are recognized under the IDEA 2004?.....................................................2 What if my child doesn’t have one of these disabilities?.....................................................2 What is Other Health Impaired?.........................................................................................2 What is Section 504?..........................................................................................................3 What is Early Intervention (EI)?...........................................................................................3 What is Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)?............................................................3 Is there a general timetable for students under IDEA 2004?................................................4 Who makes decisions for a child?......................................................................................5 Who is responsible?...........................................................................................................5 Who pays?.........................................................................................................................6 What are assistive technology (AT) and AT services?..........................................................6 What is an appropriate education for my child?.................................................................7 Chapter 2: The Identification of a Disability..................................................................................9 What is Child Find?............................................................................................................9 What do I do if I suspect my child has a disability?.............................................................9 Chapter 3: Evaluation..................................................................................................................11 What is an initial evaluation?...........................................................................................11 What must be included in an evaluation?.........................................................................11 What is done with the evaluations?..................................................................................12 How quickly should the evaluation be completed?..........................................................12 What is re-evaluation?......................................................................................................12 What is an independent educational evaluation?.............................................................13 What are my evaluation rights?........................................................................................14 Chapter 4: Eligibility for Special Education..................................................................................15 What is eligibility?............................................................................................................15 What happens once my child is found eligible?...............................................................15 Can the district end my child’s eligibility?........................................................................15 What if my child is not eligible?.......................................................................................16 Can I revoke my consent for special education services?..................................................16 Chapter 5: The Individualized Education Program (IEP)..............................................................17 What is an IEP?................................................................................................................17 Who attends the IEP meeting?..........................................................................................17 How are IEP meetings scheduled?....................................................................................18 Can the school conduct an IEP meeting without a parent?................................................18 Can members of the IEP team be excused?.......................................................................18 Can the IEP be changed without a meeting?.....................................................................19 What must be in my child’s IEP?......................................................................................19 What other important requirements should I consider for my child’s IEP?.........................21 How can I learn about my child’s progress?.....................................................................22 How can I be sure my child’s teachers will follow the IEP?...............................................22 What are my IEP rights?....................................................................................................22 Chapter 6: Placement in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)...............................................23 What is an educational placement?..................................................................................23 How is placement decided?.............................................................................................23 What is the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)?..............................................................24 What if I don’t like the placement?...................................................................................25 Can I visit my child’s classroom?......................................................................................25 What if I want the school district to pay for private school?..............................................25 What are my placement rights?........................................................................................26 Chapter 7: Extended School Year (ESY) Services.........................................................................27 What is ESY?....................................................................................................................27 How do I get ESY for my child?........................................................................................27 What if there is no data?...................................................................................................28 What if I disagree with the ESY decision?.........................................................................28 Where does my child go for ESY?.....................................................................................28 Is summer school the same as ESY?..................................................................................28 Chapter 8: Physical Restraint and Seclusion................................................................................29 What is physical restraint?................................................................................................29 What is seclusion?............................................................................................................29 Can my child be physically restrained or secluded away from other students while at school?.............................................................................................................................29 When may restraint or seclusion be used?........................................................................29 Can the school use restraint or seclusion to make my child obey staff?.............................29 How long may restraint or seclusion last?.........................................................................30 What happens if my child is restrained or secluded for a long period of time?..................30 Are staff trained in how to safely engage in or avoid restraint and seclusion?....................30 What happens after my child is restrained or secluded?....................................................31 What is mechanical restraint?...........................................................................................31 What is prone restraint?....................................................................................................31 Are there tools available to help reduce or stop my child’s difficult behaviors?.................31 What is a functional behavior assessment (FBA)?..............................................................32 When should an FBA be done?........................................................................................32 What happens during an FBA?.........................................................................................32 What does a good FBA look like?.....................................................................................32 What is a behavior plan?..................................................................................................33 What should not be part of a behavior plan?....................................................................34 What happens if the behavior plan does not work?..........................................................34 Chapter 9: School Discipline.......................................................................................................37 Can my child be suspended?............................................................................................37 If my child is suspended, what obligation does the district have to provide my child with educational services?.......................................................................................................38 Can students with disabilities be expelled?.......................................................................38 What is a manifestation determination?............................................................................38 What if I disagree with the manifestation determination?..................................................39 Who should be part of my child’s manifestation determination team?..............................39 What is the school district’s obligation to review my child’s IEP after my child is disciplined?......................................................................................................................39 What if a child with a disability brings drugs or weapons to school?................................40 What if my child physically harms others or him/herself?.................................................41 Will my child get special education in the alternative placement?....................................41 What happens after the 45 days is over?...........................................................................41 What if a student has not yet been found eligible for special education?..........................41 Chapter 10: Transition from Special Education to Adult Services................................................43 What are transition services?............................................................................................43 When do transition services begin?..................................................................................43 Who decides what transition services my child will get?..................................................43 What are examples of transition services?........................................................................43 What if other agencies don’t provide a transition service?................................................44 Can my child continue to get special education if he or she graduates with a regular diploma?..........................................................................................................................44 Can my 18-year-old make educational decisions without me?.........................................45 What if I think my 18-year-old is unable to understand the IDEA 2004 and be an effective self-advocate?..................................................................................................................45 Chapter 11: Notice Rules............................................................................................................47 When must the school district give you notice?................................................................47 What must the written notice include?.............................................................................47 Chapter 12: Preparing for Meetings.............................................................................................49 What can I do to advocate for my child?..........................................................................49 What can I do to prepare before a meeting?.....................................................................50 How can I be more effective at the meeting?....................................................................50 Can I tape record the meeting?.........................................................................................50 Chapter 13: Resolving Disagreements.........................................................................................51 What is my first step?.......................................................................................................51 What is a facilitated IEP meeting?.....................................................................................52 What is mediation?..........................................................................................................52 What is a complaint to ODE?...........................................................................................52 How do I file an ODE complaint?....................................................................................53 How long does the investigation take?.............................................................................53 How can a complaint resolve my disagreement?..............................................................53 What is a due process hearing?........................................................................................54 Do I need an attorney?.....................................................................................................54 How do I request a due process hearing?.........................................................................54 What happens after I make my request?...........................................................................55 What is the stay-put rule?.................................................................................................55 What are my due process hearing rights? .........................................................................56 Can I appeal a due process hearing decision?..................................................................56 Chapter 14: Writing to School District Administrators................................................................57 Why should I write to the district?....................................................................................57 Who should get my letter?................................................................................................58 What if I don’t get a response to my letter?.......................................................................58 Model Letter #1: Request to school district.................................................................................59 Model Letter #2: Follow-up letter to a discussion with the school district...................................60 Model Letter #3: Notice to school district regarding private school............................................61 Model Letter #4: Complaint to ODE............................................................................................62 Model Letter #5: Request for a Due Process Hearing..................................................................63 ODE Chart – Options for Complaints not within IDEA................................................................65 Resources....................................................................................................................................67 Glossary......................................................................................................................................69 Special Education Laws and Where to Find Them.......................................................................73 The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act..........................................73 Oregon Special Education Law........................................................................................73 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.......................................................................73 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973..................................................................73 The Americans with Disabilities Act.................................................................................74 Abbreviations / Acronyms...........................................................................................................75 Legal Citations.............................................................................................................................75