Special Education Assessments

The backbone of special education (aside from the IEP team) are assessments. Many parents have seen assessment reports if their children are qualified to receive special education services. However, most parents probably don't understand a lot of the information in those reports. Moreover, many parents do not get sufficient explanation of said reports during IEP meetings.

Tell me if this situation rings a bell: You're at your child's IEP meeting, and an assessment report is put in front of you for the first time. The assessor then reads the report to the IEP team. Once the reading is done, the administrator asks if there are any questions. As a parent, you don't really understand a lot of it, but you are embarrassed to ask questions because it took so long to read and everyone just wants to get out of there.

This is the case of many parents out there. However, as the most important members of the IEP team, you are entitled to a full understanding of all reports. Next time, ask for a copy of the reports in advance of the meeting. Come prepared with questions about anything / everything you don't understand, and go through those questions rather than having the assessor simply read their report. That way, you can meaningfully participate in the IEP.

The Economou Law Group has extensive experience reviewing all types of special education assessments, both for their content and legal appropriateness. If you have questions or concerns regarding your child and their assessments, call us today for your free consultation at (626) 765-9607.

Private vs. Nonpublic Schools

Parents often wish to take advantage of the environment that private schools have to offer their children. However, many times when I speak to parents, they believe that a "private" school is the same environment as a "nonpublic" school. While the terms seem to be interchangeable, for purposes of establishing special education requirements, they are different.

A private school is an educational institution which is completely private, not receiving any public funding whatsoever. These institutions are not subject to the terms enumerated in the federal Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). As such, Private Schools do not have any enumerated special education service requirements. Many do offer certain accommodations and services for children who require special education, but legally they are not beholden to federal law as private schools.

Nonpublic schools, on the other hand, are institutions registered with the CA Department of Education, that do receive public funding. Most often, the nature of these schools are that they are entirely populated with children who are qualified to receive special education services in a certain area. As such, they are one of the most restrictive placements in the continuum of special education placements. However, they are required to follow the federal and state laws as they receive public funding.

Knowing the difference between these two terms for special education purposes may be necessary, especially if a school district is offering your child placement in a nonpublic school. The Economou Law Group can aid in determining the need for nonpublic placement based on your child's records, and also the appropriateness of nonbpublic placements throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. Call today at (626) 765-9607 for your free records review and consultation.

Consent and Agreement in IEPs

One of the biggest issues that Parents routinely bring to me is the issue of consent to their child's IEP. The situation frequently occurs where you've just had a long meeting with a lot of information presented, and then the IEP administrator plops down the consent page in front of you for signature. As a parent, you're not sure about all the information you've heard, but you feel tremendous pressure with a table full of people staring at you. What do you do?

The majority of parents, in my experience, sign right then and there whether or not they understand or agree. If you've been in that situation, trust me you are not alone.

As a parent, you are the most valuable member of the IEP team (according to both federal and CA state law). You have to be afforded meaningful participation in all IEP meetings, which means your full understanding and agreement with all provisions. Unfortunately, many times this doesn't occur for whatever reason.

I advise all my clients, and anyone who I speak to on this topic, to take the IEP document (along with any and all assessments) home with them to review prior to signing their consent. This doesn't necessarily mean to have them reviewed by an attorney, but just to go over them in more detail so that you understand all provisions. If you have specific questions, write them down and ask for a follow up IEP meeting to discuss them. That way, when you sign consent, you are providing consent and agreement rather than just feeling pressured into signing at the end of a long meeting.

The Economou Law Group has extensive experience in reviewing IEP documents, assessment reports and records for children with all disabilities. If you feel that an attorney review is necessary, we offer free record review and consultation. Call us today at (626) 765-9607.