Disability people need education too


What is FAPE, and How Do I Help My Child With a Disability Receive It?

Do you have a child with a disability whoallowing your child to receive significant
receives special educationservices? Does yourlearning. Your childwill continue to fall
child with a learning disability stillfurther behind his grade and age
struggleacademically, even with the services?appropriatepeers. Once a child is behind
This  article  will  explain  whatacademically it is extremely difficultto
catch  up  with  his/her  peers.
FAPE is and how you can help your child
receive  it.You can help your child receive FAPE by doing
the  following  things:
FAPE stands for a "Free Appropriate Public
Education." Below are twodifferent1. Have high expectations for your child.
definitions  for  FAPE:With appropriate instructionyour child should
be able to keep up with their age and
1. The definition of Free Appropriate Publicgradeappropriate  peers.
Education under IDEA isspecial education and
related services that are provided at2. Make sure that your child is receiving
publicexpense, meet state standards, areappropriate instructionfor their areas of
appropriate, and are provided inconformitydisability. If your child has a learning
with  an  IEP.  IDEA  can  be  downloaded atdisabilityin reading, there are curriculums
that  will  help  your  child  learn  toread.
2. The United States Supreme Court several
years ago issued a legaldefinition of FAPE.3. Make sure that your child's teacher is
It is defined as special education andtrained in the appropriateinstruction. Some
relatedservices that are designed to meet thereading programs recommend that a teacher
child's unique needs, givesmeaningfulbecertified in the specific method, in order
benefit, and has been given at no charge toto  use  the  methodeffectively.
the  parents.
4. Make sure that your child is receiving the
Case law which is state federal and Supremeappropriate instructionfor a long enough time
Court  rulings,  can  befound  atthat will help them make progress.A lot
ofcurriculums recommend amount of instruction
FAPE is one of the most difficult conceptstime;  make  sure  thesetimes  are  followed.
for parents and specialeducation personnel to
understand and agree on. The Supreme5. Make sure that the curriculum that is
Courtstates that children with disabilitiesbeing  used  is  research-based.
must receive meaningfulbenefit, in order to
receive FAPE. In a more recent SupremeThis means that there is research that proves
Courtruling (N.R. vs Kingwood Township), thethat the curriculumworks to help children
court decided that the IEPmust allow thelearn.
child significant learning and give
meaningful  benefit.By following the above suggestions you will
be on your way to ensuringthat your child
For Example: If your fourth-grade child isreceives a free appropriate public education.
reading at a first-gradelevel, and disabilityYou mustbe assertively persistent and
educators want to write a goal that hisvigilant if your child is to learn andhave a
readinglevel increase three months in onefull life!
year of special education, that isnot



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