1. Six Major Principles of IDEA

2. Six Major Principles of IDEA
1. Zero Reject
2. Free Appropriate Public Education
3. Protection in Evaluation
4. Least Restrictive Environment
5. Parent and Student Participation in Decision Making
6. Procedural Due Process

3. #1 - Zero Reject
1. Schools must educate all students with disabilities.
2. No student with a disability may be excluded from a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) regardless of the severity of his/her disability.
3. Schools are obligated to make FAPE available to all students with disabilities, including those who have been suspended or expelled.

4. #2 - Free Appropriate Public Education
1. Free – provided at public expense, with no cost to the parent
2. Appropriate – suited to the individual needs of the child
3. Public – provided by, or paid for by the public school system
4. Education – special education and related services based on the child’s unique individual needs as determined in the individual education plan (IEP)

5. #3 – Protection in Evaluation
1. Schools must conduct a full, individual evaluation in all suspected areas of disability to determine if a disability exists.
2. All evaluations must be conducted by qualified knowledgeable examiners.
3. Parents must give informed consent prior to evaluation.

6. #3 - Protection in Evaluation (continued)
4. Evaluation materials must not be discriminatory on a racial or cultural basis.
5. Evaluation materials must be administered in student’s native language or mode of communication.

7. #3 - Protection in Evaluation (continued)
6. Evaluation materials must be technically sound, (valid and reliable) and used for the purposes for which they were created.
7. Evaluation must use a variety of assessment tools to gather functional, developmental and academic, information about the student.
8. Evaluation must not rely on any single measure to determine eligibility for special education.

8. #4 -Least Restrictive Environment
1. ….the presumption that children with disabilities are most appropriately educated with their non-disabled peers and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of students with disabilities from the general education classroom environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of the student is such that education in the general education classroom with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily

9. #4 – Least Restrictive Environment (continued)
2. Students with disabilities must be educated with non-disabled students to the maximum extent appropriate.
3. Removal from education with non-disabled peers may occur only when education in the general education classroom with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

10. #5 - Parent and Student Participation in Decision Making
1. Schools must include parents (and students, as appropriate) in planning and implementing special education, related services and shared decision making
2. Students must be invited to IEP meetings where transition services are discussed (In Florida transition discussions begin at age 14.) Students preferences and input in designing the IEP during the transition process is an important shared decision making role.

11. #5 – Parent and Student Participation in Decision Making (continued)
3. Parental involvement also includes the right to provide informed consent for evaluations, placement decisions and to participate as an equal partner in their child’s special education meetings.

12. #6 - Procedural Due Process Procedural Safeguards Ensure
1. the rights of children with disabilities and their parents are protected
2. students with disabilities and their parents are given the information they need to make decisions about the provision of a free and appropriate public education
3. procedures and mechanisms are in place to resolve disagreements between parties

13. #6 - Procedural Due Process Procedural Safeguards Ensure
4. parent’s right to notice regarding identification, evaluation or placement of
their child
5. parent’s right to review their child’s records
6. parent’s right to give or refuse consent

14. #6 - Procedural Due Process Procedural Safeguards Ensure
7. parent’s right to request mediation or a due process hearing when they disagree with evaluation, placement or other FAPE decisions
8. parent’s right to request an independent evaluation at public expense

15. Six Major Principles of IDEA
End of Presentation
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