| Do you have a child with a disability who | | | | allowing your child to receive significant |
| receives special educationservices? Does your | | | | learning. Your childwill continue to fall |
| child with a learning disability still | | | | further behind his grade and age |
| struggleacademically, even with the services? | | | | appropriatepeers. Once a child is behind |
| This article will explain what | | | | academically 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 twodifferent | | | | 1. 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 Public | | | | gradeappropriate peers. |
| Education under IDEA isspecial education and | | | | |
| related services that are provided at | | | | 2. Make sure that your child is receiving |
| publicexpense, meet state standards, are | | | | appropriate instructionfor their areas of |
| appropriate, and are provided inconformity | | | | disability. If your child has a learning |
| with an IEP. IDEA can be downloaded at | | | | disabilityin 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 and | | | | trained in the appropriateinstruction. Some |
| relatedservices that are designed to meet the | | | | reading programs recommend that a teacher |
| child's unique needs, givesmeaningful | | | | becertified in the specific method, in order |
| benefit, and has been given at no charge to | | | | to use the methodeffectively. |
| the parents. | | | | |
| | | | 4. Make sure that your child is receiving the |
| Case law which is state federal and Supreme | | | | appropriate instructionfor a long enough time |
| Court rulings, can befound at | | | | that will help them make progress.A lot |
| | | | ofcurriculums recommend amount of instruction |
| FAPE is one of the most difficult concepts | | | | time; make sure thesetimes are followed. |
| for parents and specialeducation personnel to | | | | |
| understand and agree on. The Supreme | | | | 5. Make sure that the curriculum that is |
| Courtstates that children with disabilities | | | | being used is research-based. |
| must receive meaningfulbenefit, in order to | | | | |
| receive FAPE. In a more recent Supreme | | | | This means that there is research that proves |
| Courtruling (N.R. vs Kingwood Township), the | | | | that the curriculumworks to help children |
| court decided that the IEPmust allow the | | | | learn. |
| 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 is | | | | receives a free appropriate public education. |
| reading at a first-gradelevel, and disability | | | | You mustbe assertively persistent and |
| educators want to write a goal that his | | | | vigilant if your child is to learn andhave a |
| readinglevel increase three months in one | | | | full life! |
| year of special education, that isnot | | | | |