Schools Not Communicating With Parents About Special Education Legal Rights

From: Robina Suwol
Date: 15 Sep 2006
Time: 22:20:11
Remote Name: 69.149.54.226

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SCHOOLS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION LEGAL RIGHTS

If parents and schools are to be partners in the education of children with disabilities, clear communication is essential. Although the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to tell parents about their rights under the law -- referred to as "procedural safeguards notice" -- in "understandable language," most are falling short of this requirement, says a study reported in the research journal Exceptional Children.

Under IDEA, schools are required to advise parents of their rights in a way that is easy to understand. Parents not only have the right and duty to participate in special education decisions, they can and should provide information about their child that no one else can provide. The decision to provide special services and the choice of services provided can be crucial to a child's future.

The study, conducted at Pennsylvania State University by Julie Fitzgerald and Marley Watkins, examined Procedural Safeguards Notices (also called Parents' Rights Notices) from 49 states and the District of Columbia.

Read this special report about the study and find out how your state's Procedural Safeguards Notice scored. http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/advocacyinaction/Procedural_safeguards_Notice_Study.shtml


Last changed: September 15, 2006