What Every Teacher Should Know About IDEA 2004 Laws & Regulations Book

Introduction: How This Book Is Organized     viii
How to read this document     1
General     1
Section 300: Definitions Used in the Act     1
Assistive Technology Device     1
Assistive Technology Service     1
Charter School     1
Child with a Disability     2
Consent     5
Core Academic Subjects     5
Elementary School     5
Evaluation     6
Free Appropriate Public Education     6
Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers (HQT)     6
Homeless Children     10
Limited English Proficient     11
Ward of the State     12
Individualized Education Program (IEP); IEP Team; Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)     12
Infant or Toddler with a Disability     13
Native Language     13
Parent     13
Qualified Personnel     14
Related Services     15
Scientifically Based Research     17
Secondary School     17
Services Plan     17
Secretary     17
Special Education     17
Supplementary Aids and Services     18
Transition Services     18
Universal Design     19
State Eligibility     20
FAPE Requirements     20
Free Appropriate Public Education     20
Exceptions to FAPE for Certain Ages     22
Other FAPE Requirements     23
FAPE-Methods and Payments     23
Residential Placement     23
Assistive Technology     23
Extended School Year Services     24
Nonacademic Services     24
Physical Education     25
Full Educational Opportunity Goal (FEOG)     25
Program Options     25
Child Find     26
Routine Checking of Hearing Aids and External Components of Surgically Implanted Medical Devices     27
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)     28
LRE Requirements     28
Continuum of Placements     29
Placements     29
Nonacademic Settings     30
Children in Public or Private Institutions     30
Technical Assistance and Training Activities     30
Monitoring Activities     31
Additional Eligibility Requirements     31
Procedural Safeguards; Evaluation; Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information     31
Transition of Children from Part C to Preschool Programs     31
Children with Disabilities Enrolled by Parents in Private Schools     32
Definition of Parentally Placed Private School Children with Disabilities     32
Child Find for Parentally Placed Private School Children with Disabilities     32
Provision of Services for Parentally Placed Private School Children with Disabilities-Basic Requirement     33
Expenditures     34
Consultation     35
Written Affirmation     36
Compliance     36
Equitable Services Determined     37
Equitable Services Provided     38
Location of Services; Transportation     38
Due Process Complaints and State Complaints     39
Requirement that funds Not Benefit a Private School     39
Use of Personnel     40
Separate Classes Prohibited     40
Children with Disabilities in Private Schools Placed or Referred by Public Agencies     41
Applicability of Secs. 300.146-300.147. Responsibility of SEA; Implementation of SEA     41
Children with Disabilities Enrolled by Their Parents in Private Schools When FAPE is at Issue     42
Placement of Children by Parents if FAPE is at Issue      42
SEA Responsibility for General Supervision and Implementation of Procedural Safeguards     44
SEA Responsibility for General Supervision     44
SEA Implementation of Procedural Safeguards     45
State Complaint Procedures     45
Adoption of State Complaint Procedures     45
Minimum State Complaint Procedures     46
Filing a Complaint     47
Methods of Ensuring Services     47
Methods of Ensuring Services     47
Additional State Eligibility Requirements     48
Comprehensive Systems of Personnel Development     48
Personnel Qualifications     48
Performance Goals and Indicators     49
Participation in Assessments [Statutory Sec. 612(a)(16)]     50
Public Participation     52
State Advisory Panel     52
Membership     52
Other Provisions Required for State Eligibility     52
Suspension and Expulsion Rates     52
Access to Instructional Materials     53
Overidentification and Disproportionality     55
Prohibition on Mandatory Medication     55
By-Pass for Children in Private Schools     56
Show Cause Hearing; Decision; Continuation of a By-Pass      56
State Administration     57
State Administration     57
Local Educational Agency Eligibility     58
Use of Amounts     58
Maintenance of Effort; Exception to Maintenance of Effort     59
Adjustment to Local Fiscal Effort in Certain Fiscal Years     59
Schoolwide Programs Under Title I of the ESEA     60
Personnel Development     60
Permissive Use of Funds     61
Treatment of Charter Schools and Their Students     61
Purchase of Instructional Materials     62
Records Regarding Migratory Children with Disabilities     62
Coordinated Services System     62
Early Intervening Services (EIS)     63
School-Based Improvement Plan     64
Direct Services by the SEA     64
Disciplinary Information     65
SEA Flexibility     66
Evaluations, Eligibility Determinations, Individualized Education Programs, and Educational Placements     67
Parental Consent     67
Evaluations and Reevaluations     69
Initial Evaluations     69
Screening for Instructional Purposes is Not Evaluation     70
Reevaluations     70
Evaluation Procedures     71
Additional Requirements for Evaluations and Reevaluations     73
Determination of Eligibility     74
Additional Procedures for Identifying Children with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)     75
Specific Learning Disabilities     75
Additional Group Members     76
Determining the Existence of a Specific Learning Disability     76
Observation     78
Specific Documentation for the Eligibility Determination     79
Individualized Education Programs (IEP)     81
Definition of Individualized Education Program     81
IEP Team     84
Parent Participation     86
When IEPs Must be in Effect     87
Development, Review and Revision of IEP     88
Private School Placements by Public Agencies     89
Educational Placements     90
Alternative Means of Meeting Participation     90
Multi-Year IEP Demonstration     91
Procedural Safeguards     92
Opportunity to Examine Records; Parent Participation in Meetings     92
Independent Educational Evaluations     94
Prior Notice by the Public Agency; Consent of Notice     95
Procedural Safeguards Notice      96
Electronic Mail     97
Mediation     98
Filing a Due Process Complaint     99
Due Process Complaint     100
Model Forms     103
Resolution Process     103
Impartial Due Process Hearing     105
Hearing Rights     106
Hearing Decisions     107
Finality of Decision; Appeal; Impartial Review     108
Timelines and Convenience of Hearings and Reviews     108
Civil Action     109
Attorneys' Fees     110
Child's Status During Proceedings     111
Surrogate Parents     112
Transfer of Parental Rights at Age of Majority     113
Discipline Procedures     114
Authority of School Personnel     114
Determination of Setting     117
Appeal     117
Placement During Appeals     119
Protections for Children Not Determined Eligible for Special Education and Related Services     120
Referral to and Action by Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities     121
Change of Placement Because of Disciplinary Removals     121
State Enforcement Mechanisms     122
Monitoring, Enforcement, Confidentiality, and Program Information     123
State Monitoring and Enforcement     123
State Performance Plans     124
State Use of Targets and Reporting; Secretary's Review and Determination Regarding State Performance     124
Enforcement; Withholding Funds; State Enforcement     125
Confidentiality of Information     127
Consent     127
Reports-Program Information     127
Annual Report of Children Served-Information Required; Disproportionality     127
Authorization, Allotment, Use of Funds, Authorization of Appropriations     128
Local Educational Agency High Cost Fund     128
Preschool Grants     129
Preschool Grants     129
Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities     130
Section 635: Requirements for Statewide System     130
Section 637: State Application and Assurances     131
Section 640(b): Obligations Related to & Methods of Ensuring Services     132
Section 641: State Interagency Coordinating Council     132
Section 643(e): Reservation for State Incentive Grants     132
National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities     132
State Personnel Development Grants     133
Personnel Preparation, Technical Assistance, Model Demonstration Projects, and Dissemination of Information     133
Section 644(c): Accountability for Students Held to Alternative Achievement Standards     133
Section 665: Interim Alternative Educational Settings, Behavioral Supports, and Systemic School Interventions     134
Supports to Improve Results for Children with Disabilities     135
Section 671: Parent Training and Information Centers     135
Section 674(e): National Instructional Materials Access Center     135
Title II: National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)     136
Index     139