In Board of Education v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176 (1982), the United States Supreme Court concluded “a ‘free appropriate public education’ consists of educational instruction specially designed to meet the unique needs of the handicapped child, supported by such services as are necessary to permit the child ‘to benefit’ from the instruction.”
As the parent of a student under the special education umbrella, I have experienced the lengthy process of meeting your child’s educational needs. The countless hours spent in meetings with educators, administrators, and doctors can be daunting and time-consuming. Both parents and schools are faced with various problems and obstacles when establishing and implementing special education services.
The Need for Early Intervention
Starting this process is not always easy and varies case by case. Some children are born with recognizable disabilities that allow parents to start their child in special education at a preschool level. But some disabilities are not always easily identifiable at an early age. In my case, concerns were voiced to me from my daughter’s …show more content…
The next obstacle I encountered was a new teacher who was uneducated on the special education program. When I finally requested special education testing for my daughter and I was met by a wall of hesitance. The teacher was unsure if testing was possible in the district. He suggested I speak to my pediatrician for a recommendation. Had I stopped my inquiry process at the teacher, my daughter would have missed valuable time in which she could have received services. Under federal law, parents, guardians, and advocates have the right to request a child be evaluated for special education. Once a request and permission have been received, the evaluation must occur within an established time period. Some larger school district establish their own time periods to ensure compliance with state and federal
As the parent of a student under the special education umbrella, I have experienced the lengthy process of meeting your child’s educational needs. The countless hours spent in meetings with educators, administrators, and doctors can be daunting and time-consuming. Both parents and schools are faced with various problems and obstacles when establishing and implementing special education services.
The Need for Early Intervention
Starting this process is not always easy and varies case by case. Some children are born with recognizable disabilities that allow parents to start their child in special education at a preschool level. But some disabilities are not always easily identifiable at an early age. In my case, concerns were voiced to me from my daughter’s …show more content…
The next obstacle I encountered was a new teacher who was uneducated on the special education program. When I finally requested special education testing for my daughter and I was met by a wall of hesitance. The teacher was unsure if testing was possible in the district. He suggested I speak to my pediatrician for a recommendation. Had I stopped my inquiry process at the teacher, my daughter would have missed valuable time in which she could have received services. Under federal law, parents, guardians, and advocates have the right to request a child be evaluated for special education. Once a request and permission have been received, the evaluation must occur within an established time period. Some larger school district establish their own time periods to ensure compliance with state and federal