| Do you have a child with a disability | | | | three months in one year of special |
| who receives special educationservices? | | | | education, that isnot allowing your |
| Does your child with a learning | | | | child to receive significant learning. |
| disability still struggleacademically, | | | | Your childwill continue to fall further |
| even with the services? This article | | | | behind his grade and age |
| will explain what | | | | appropriatepeers. Once a child is behind |
| FAPE is and how you can help your child | | | | academically it is extremely difficultto |
| receive it. | | | | catch up with his/her peers. |
| FAPE stands for a "Free Appropriate | | | | You can help your child receive FAPE by |
| Public Education." Below are | | | | doing the following things: |
| twodifferent definitions for FAPE: | | | | 1. Have high expectations for your |
| 1. The definition of Free Appropriate | | | | child. With appropriate instructionyour |
| Public Education under IDEA isspecial | | | | child should be able to keep up with |
| education and related services that are | | | | their age and gradeappropriate peers. |
| provided at publicexpense, meet state | | | | 2. Make sure that your child is |
| standards, are appropriate, and are | | | | receiving appropriate instructionfor |
| provided inconformity with an IEP. IDEA | | | | their areas of disability. If your child |
| can be downloaded at | | | | has a learning disabilityin reading, |
| 2. The United States Supreme Court | | | | there are curriculums that will help |
| several years ago issued a | | | | your child learn toread. |
| legaldefinition of FAPE. It is defined | | | | 3. Make sure that your child's teacher |
| as special education and relatedservices | | | | is trained in the |
| that are designed to meet the child's | | | | appropriateinstruction. Some reading |
| unique needs, givesmeaningful benefit, | | | | programs recommend that a teacher |
| and has been given at no charge to the | | | | becertified in the specific method, in |
| parents. | | | | order to use the methodeffectively. |
| Case law which is state federal and | | | | 4. Make sure that your child is |
| Supreme Court rulings, can befound at | | | | receiving the appropriate instructionfor |
| FAPE is one of the most difficult | | | | a long enough time that will help them |
| concepts for parents and | | | | make progress.A lot ofcurriculums |
| specialeducation personnel to understand | | | | recommend amount of instruction time; |
| and agree on. The Supreme Courtstates | | | | make sure thesetimes are followed. |
| that children with disabilities must | | | | 5. Make sure that the curriculum that is |
| receive meaningfulbenefit, in order to | | | | being used is research-based. |
| receive FAPE. In a more recent Supreme | | | | This means that there is research that |
| Courtruling (N.R. vs Kingwood Township), | | | | proves that the curriculumworks to help |
| the court decided that the IEPmust allow | | | | children learn. |
| the child significant learning and give | | | | By following the above suggestions you |
| meaningful benefit. | | | | will be on your way to ensuringthat your |
| For Example: If your fourth-grade child | | | | child receives a free appropriate public |
| is reading at a first-gradelevel, and | | | | education. You mustbe assertively |
| disability educators want to write a | | | | persistent and vigilant if your child is |
| goal that his readinglevel increase | | | | to learn andhave a full life! |