5 Things You Can Do to Prevent Cuts to Special Education From Hurting Your Child!

Are you the parent of a child receiving special education services from your school district? Are you concerned about schools around the country stating that they are broke? Would you like to know how to prevent cuts from hurting your child? Then this article is for you! The article will be discussing ways that you can ensure that your child continues to receive needed special education services!

Special Education services are considered an entitlement under Federal law and cannot be cut due to lack of funding. Children with disabilities have the right to be provided with all special education services they need and they must be provided free of charge. Some school districts also tell parents that there are waiting lists for certain services. Waiting lists also are not allowed under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 ( IDEA 2004). So the truth is that children with disabilities are to receive all of the special education services they need regardless of cost or ability of the school district to pay for the services.

How Does a Parent Make a Special Education Referral for Their Child?

As a parent, you may make a special education referral for your child at any age up to sixteen. Many parents believe that only school personnel are allowed to do this and that is incorrect. According to Section 300.300 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), "either a parent of a child or a public agency may initiate a request for an initial evaluation to determine if the child is a child with a disability." There are different regulations and procedures according to the age of your child that I will outline here.

If your infant, toddler or child is not in school and you suspect that he/she is not developing appropriately and that your child may have a disability it is a good idea to discuss this with your child's pediatrician. They have specialized training in detecting disabilities and will make a referral to early intervention services for you if they concur with your suspicions. It the pediatrician does not concur they will usually provide you with some education and suggestions regarding your concerns. Many parents are unaware that children with disabilities are entitled to certain services from birth. Early intervention is often referred to as the Child Find Process.

If your child is in school and you suspect that he/she may have a disability that impedes his/her learning it is best practice to discuss your concerns with your child's primary teacher. School personnel should be trained to look for clues that a child may be in need of special education services. In fact, the teacher may have already requested support and pre-referral interventions from the school's support team due to their concerns. School personnel are obligated to attempt to remediate the child's academic and/or behavioral concerns with research-based interventions for a time period prior to them being able to make an official referral. Pre-referral interventions are not considered part of the evaluation process for special education services.