Introduction
Some years ago, a parent came to my office to discuss the difficulties her teenager was having in school. The parent was a kind and thoughtful person, but looked overwhelmed. Her child had learning disabilities and increasing emotional problems, and the pain of the child was etched on the face of the parent. Her child was falling further behind, losing the confidence she once had, and missing the academic skills and emotional strength she would need for adulthood.
My client sat quietly for some time and then asked in a whisper, "What in the world can I do for my daughter?"
Whether you and your child are entering special education for the first time or the tenth time, you have probably asked the same question. You have a dozen concerns and a hundred fears. You don't know where to begin. The problems seem insurmountable. According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are more than 6,600,000 children with disabilities in the United States -- that's one out of every twelve children and teenagers. At some point, their parents have felt the same way my client did -- and you probably have, too.
Fortunately, Congress enacted a law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, to evaluate children with disabilities and to provide special education programs and services to help them succeed in school. Before IDEA was enacted in 1975, public schools frequently ignored children with disabilities or shunted them off to inferior or distant programs. IDEA represents a long-overdue recognition that individuals with disabilities have the right to access public institutions and be served appropriately, with dignity and respect.
The detail and reach of IDEA are remarkable -- no other law in this nation provides such clear and unique legal protection for children. Everything you do to help your child secure an appropriate education is connected to, and determined by, the legal requirements of IDEA.
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