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