One guiding principal of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is parental participation. Throughout the history of special education laws and services parents have been advocates for their children’s best interests and workhorses ensuring changes were being made at every level to better help students with disabilities. Therefore, parents are a crucial part of IDEA and due to this, there are mandates set in place when a child is suspected of needing special education services. During the process of recommending a student for special education services the parents must be notified and give written consent prior to going forward in the process. It is the school’s job to try and notify the parents prior to four steps in the
