Special education is constructed by a vast array of legal regulations and guidelines for best practices. Despite the sometimes complex nature of special education, six basic principles remain at the heart of all programs and services. The following six principles form the foundation from which all other special education and related services are built.
- Zero Reject and Free and Appropriate
Public Education (FAPE)
- Outlines that all students with special
needs are entitled to receive a free and appropriate public education.
- Zero Rejection: no child may be refused
access to FAPE based on his or her disabilities.
- There will be no required out-of-pocket
costs to the families of these children for those services.
- Nondiscriminatory and Appropriate Evaluation
- Students with disabilities are entitled
to a high qualify evaluation, which may produce an identification as a student
with a special need.
- The evaluation should be completed by a
multi-disciplinary team of professionals and using more than a single indicator
of disability.
- Appropriate Individualized Education
Program
- Least Restrictive Environment
- Student and Parental Participation
- Allows for students to play a part of
educational planning (when appropriate).
- Requires that parents play an integral
part in their child’s educational planning.
- Major decisions are not to be made
without fully informed parental consent (or student consent if the student is of the age of majority.)
- Allows the family (student and parents)
to give input into the IEP development process.
- Procedural Safeguards
- Ensures that the rights of students with disabilities and their parents are respected.
- Directs that schools and IEP teams
follow standard procedures for the development and implementation of specialized
services.
- Provides an avenue for families to
challenge the decisions made by public schools.
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