IDEA Basics
IDEA guarantees that students are taught in this setting, abbreviated LRE.
What is Least Restrictive Environment?
Parents must receive this notice in writing when a school proposes or refuses to change identification, placement, or services.
What is Prior Written Notice?
This civil rights law prevents discrimination against individuals with disabilities in programs receiving federal funding.
What is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act?
Before conducting an initial special education evaluation, the school must obtain this from the parent.
What is informed consent?
This disability category is for students with significant challenges in reading, writing, or math and is often abbreviated SLD.
What is specific learning disability?
This 4-letter federal law ensures students with disabilities receive a “free appropriate public education,” or FAPE.
What is IDEA?
Parents can challenge school decisions through this formal legal process, similar to a trial.
What is a due process hearing?
Unlike an IEP, this written plan outlines accommodations for students with disabilities who do not need specialized instruction.
What is a 504 Plan?
IDEA requires that evaluations use a variety of tools and strategies and cannot rely on only this single measure.
What is a single test or assessment?
Students who are hard of hearing, and use American Sign Language to communicate may qualify under this disability category.
Deafness or Hard of Hearing?
This legal document, reviewed annually, outlines special education services and goals for eligible students.
What is an IEP?
This meeting, facilitated by a neutral party, is offered prior to due process to help parents and schools resolve disputes.
What is mediation?
Section 504 is enforced by this federal office within the Department of Education.
What is the Office of Civil Rights (OCR)?
This type of evaluation must occur before a student is moved out of general education into special education services.
What is a comprehensive evaluation?
This category includes conditions like anxiety or depression that affect school performance, but does not include “social maladjustment” alone.
What is Emotional Disturbance/Disability?
This part of IDEA covers infants and toddlers from birth to age 2.
What is Part C, Early Intervention?
These protections must be given to students when disciplinary actions exceed ten school days.
What is manifestation determination procedures?
To qualify for a 504 plan, a student must have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of these.
What is major life activities?
Reevaluations must occur at least this often unless the parent and school agree otherwise.
What is every three years? (or triennially)
This category includes students with significant intellectual functioning delays and adaptive behavior limitations, usually measured by standardized assessments.
What is Intellectual Disability?
Before providing special education services for the first time, schools must obtain this from parents.
What is consent for initial provision of services?
IDEA requires schools to provide this type of communication to parents in a way they can understand.
What is communication in the parent's native language?
This act, passed in 1990 and amended in 2008, strengthened disability rights beyond education and into employment and public access.
What is the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
The 4 letter acronym for the name of this achievement test begins with the letter W and ends with a T.
What is the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test?
Students with limited mobility, chronic health issues, or physical impairments might qualify under this category, abbreviated OHI.
What is Other Health Impairment?