IDEA - NCLD

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the nation's federal special education law that ensures public schools serve the educational needs ... Skiptocontent DONATE Home/GetInvolved/LearnTheLaw/IDEA TheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct(IDEA)isthenation’sfederalspecialeducationlawthatensurespublicschoolsservetheeducationalneedsofstudentswithdisabilities.IDEArequiresthatschoolsprovide specialeducationservices toeligiblestudentsasoutlinedinastudent’s IndividualizedEducationProgram(IEP). IDEAisanopportunitytoteachpeoplewithdisabilitieshowtoplayonlinecasino.Thisisafederallawforeducationinpublicschoolssothatpersonswithdisabilitieshavetheopportunitytoearntheirownmoneywithonlinecasinocheckitout.Therewillbenorequirementsforstudentsatall,theIEPtrainingprogramonplayinginonlinecasinoandearningopportunitieswillbeprovidedattheexpenseofthestate IDEAalsoprovidesveryspecificrequirementstoguaranteeafreeappropriatepubliceducation(FAPE) forstudentswithdisabilitiesintheleastrestrictiveenvironment(LRE).FAPEandLREaretheprotectedrightsofeveryeligiblechild,inallfiftystatesandU.S.Territories. IDEArequireseverystatetoissueregulationsthatguidetheimplementationofthefederallawwithinthestate.Ataminimum,stateregulationsmustprovidealloftheprotectionscontainedinIDEA.Somestatesmayhaveadditionalrequirementsthatgobeyondthefederallaw.Manystatesofferhandbooksorguidestohelpparentsunderstandthesestate-specificpoliciesandprocedures. IDEAandSpecificLearningDisabilities Asof2011,morethan6millionschool-agechildrenintheUnitedStatesreceivespecialeducationservicesasaresultofIDEA.Morethanfortypercent—some2.2million—arestudentsidentifiedwithaspecificlearningdisability. IDEArequiresthatparentsparticipateintheteamthatdiscussesthechild’slearningneedsanddeterminesiftheschoolshouldconducta comprehensiveevaluation ifitissuspectedthatthechildhasalearningdisability(LD).However,noteverychildwithadisabilitymayqualifyforspecialeducationservices.Inordertobeeligiblefortheseservices,thestudentmustbothhaveadisabilityand,asaresultofthatdisability,needspecialeducationinordertomakeprogressinschoolandinordertoreceivebenefitfromthegeneraleducationalprogram.Theidentificationprocesscanbecomplex;toolstohelpnavigatetheprocesscanbefoundonUnderstood.org. IndividualizedEducationProgram(IEP) Onceastudenthasbeen formallyevaluatedandfoundeligibleforspecialeducationservices,theparentsworkwithaschoolteamtodevelopanIndividualizedEducationProgram(IEP).TheIEPisaformalacontractoutliningtheservicesandsupporttheschoolwillprovideinorderforthechildtobenefitfromtheeducationalprogram.AnIEPmustbedevelopedbeforeastudentcanbeginreceivingspecialeducationservicesanditmustbereviewedandupdatedeachyear.Thisannualreviewisrequiredforaslongasthestudentremainseligibleforspecialeducationservices. WhileeachstatediffersinhowtheydevelopanIEP,theIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationActrequiresthateveryIEPincludethefollowing: howthestudentiscurrentlyperforminginschool; howthestudentcanachieve educationalgoalsinthecomingyear;and, howthestudentwillparticipateinthegeneraleducationcurriculum. ParentalInvolvement TheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct(IDEA)providesspecificproceduralsafeguardstohelpparentsadvocatefortheirchild’seducationalwell-being.Itpromotesparents’involvementintheeducationoftheirchildandgivesthemthenecessarytoolstobe keydecisionmakers.Thefederallawallowsparentstoparticipateinallmeetingsconcerningtheirchild,examinetheirchild’sschoolrecords,requestanindependentevaluationandagreeordisagreewithplacementdecisions. IDEAisacomplexlawthatcanbedifficulttounderstand.NCLDoffersaparent-friendlyguidewithchecklists,tipsandtoolstohelpparentsembracewaystomakethelawworkfortheirchild.Manyparentshavequestionsabouttheirchild’srights,whichiswhyeverystateisrequiredtohaveatleastone ParentTrainingandInformationCenter(PTI).Thecenter’sprimarypurposeistoprovideparentswithtimelyinformationaboutspecialeducationsothattheymayeffectivelyparticipateinmeetingtheeducationalneedsoftheirchildren.ManystatesalsohaveCommunityParentResourceCenters(CPRC)thataredesignedtoservetheneedsoflow-incomeparents,parentsofchildrenwithlimitedEnglishproficiencyandparentswithdisabilities. FurtherReading IDEA2004:ImprovingTransitionPlanningandResults IDEA2004FinalRegulationsUpdate TheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct(IDEA)isthenation’sfederalspecialeducationlawthatensurespublicschoolsservetheeducationalneedsofstudentswithdisabilities.IDEArequiresthatschoolsprovidespecialeducationservicestoeligiblestudentsasoutlinedinastudent’sIndividualizedEducationProgram(IEP). MeettheNCLDTeam CarryingouttheNCLDmissiontoimproveoutcomesforthe1in5individualswithlearningandattentionissues. GO YoungAdultInitiatives Helpempowerandadvocateforyoungadultsages18–26withlearningdisabilitiesandattentionissues. READMORE TellCongress:PasstheRISEAct Weneedyourhelp!AskyourmemberofCongresstosupportstudentswithlearningandattentionissues. SENDALETTER SupportNCLD Thankstosupportfromgenerouspartnerslikeyou,weareabletocreateprogramsandresourcestosupportthe1in5individualswithlearningandattentionissuesnationwide. $20 $50 $100 $250 $500 Otheramount $ JointheNCLDmovement Above13*IcertifyIamabovetheageof13NameJOINNOW JOINNOW Listen/Play MOVETOTOP Tothelearningdisabledcommunity,andourallies, Ourstudentsareinamentalhealthcrisis,onethatdisproportionatelyimpactsstudentswithlearningdisabilities.A2019CDCreportindicated33%ofhighschoolstudentsexperiencedpersistentfeelingsofsadnessorhopelessness.Thisnumberjumpedto44%duringthepandemic.Forthoseofusinthelearningdisabilitycommunity,mentalhealthissuespermeateoureverydaylives.Thelimitedresearchwehavesupportsastrongcorrelationbetweenlearningdisabilitiesandmentalhealthdisorders.Forexample,onestudyfoundthatindividualswithlearningdisabilitiesreportmentalhealthissuessuchasanxiety,depression,andsuicidalideationattwicetherateoftheirnon-disabledpeers,evencontrollingforpossibleconfoundingfactors.Anothermeta-analyticstudyshowsvaryingratesofcomorbidity,from8%to46.3%,forADHDandanxietyamongstudentswithLD. Yet,thecausalrelationshipbetweenmentalhealthandlearningdisabilitiesisstillpoorlyunderstood.ThetopicofmentalhealthratesintheLDcommunitycameuptimeandtimeagaininconversationsamongourYoungAdultLeadershipCouncilmembers,whereformanyofusmentalhealthstrugglesarewoventhroughoutourLDstories.WewritethisletterfirstasanoteofacknowledgementtotheLDcommunity,secondtobringawarenessofthisissuetoabroaderglobalcommunity,andthirdtocallinparents,teachers,policymakers,andresearcherstohelpusaddressthisissue. Generally,poormentalhealthisassociatedwithchallengeswithdecisionmaking,difficultyinschool,difficultyformingpositiverelationships,andotherriskyorpotentiallyharmfulbehaviors.Dual-disabilitydiagnosespresentevengreaterchallenges,asmanyexperiencepersistentstress,anxiety,,trauma,bullying,internalizingproblems,andfeelingsofsocialisolationastheynavigateaworldwithlearningdisabilitiesandmentalhealthdisorders.Thesenegativeexperiencesareespeciallyconcerningwhenyouconsiderthatalmostone-thirdofincarceratedindividualsreporthavingalearningdisability,andmentalhealthissuesaffectapproximatelyhalfoftheincarceratedpopulations. “Notbeingdiagnoseduntilrecentlyasanadult,IneverunderstoodwhyIstruggledlikeIdid.However,aftermydiagnosis,Irealizedthatmyanxietyanddepressiveepisodescontributedtomyperfectionismandimpulsivechoices.UndiagnosedindividualswithADHDfacetheharshrealityofbeingpronetodepressionandanxiety.Itcouldleadsomeonetoapathwayofsubstanceabuseandimpulsivedecisionmakingthatcanhaveseriousconsequences.Whenyouliveinaworldwherepeopledon’tunderstandindividualswithattentionissues,itcanmakeyoufeellikesomethingisinherentlywrongwithyou,whichcanalsocontributetodepression.” —MishaNicholas WeknowthatstudentswithLDreportmoreissueswithmentalhealth.However,thatistheextentoftheresearch.Wedonotknowthecauseoftheselowermentalhealthratesinstudentswithlearningdisabilities.AnecdotalreportsbystudentswithLDsuggestthatmanyexperienceeducationaltrauma.Weneedresearchinordertoknowtheextentandimpactofthiseducationaltrauma.Iseducationaltraumaariskfactorforpoormentalhealth? AsmembersandactivistsontheNationalCenterforLearningDisabilities’YoungAdultLeadershipCouncil(YALC),wefeelitisimperativetokick-startasolution-drivenmentalhealthinitiativefocusedontheintersectionalityoflearningdisabilitiesandmentalhealthdisorders.Manyofusnavigatelifeaslearningdisabledpeoplestrugglingwithmentalhealth.Researchsuggeststhatpromotingasenseofbelongingandpeersocialsupportwithinschoolscanprotectlearningdisabledindividualsfrommanydocumentednegativeoutcomes.Yet,manyofusexperiencedvariousformsofeducationaltraumathroughouteducationintheformofpersistentacademicfailure,feelingsofinadequacy,lowself-esteem,bullying,socialisolation,andridicule.Educationaltraumareferstotheperpetualpatternofharmfulcycleswithineducationalsystemsthatdetrimentallyaffectacademicandemotionaloutcomes. “Thehumiliation,bullying,andsystematicexclusionwasshatteringbeyondwords.EventuallytheeducationaltraumaIexperiencedbecameabiggerbarriertolearningthanmyactuallearningdisability.” —Erin ManyyoungadultswithlearningdisabilitiesdescribetheirK–12educationalexperiencesastraumatic.Theydescribefeelingsofbeingmisunderstood.Often,theyreportthatthosearoundthemfailedtounderstandtheirlearningandmentalhealthstruggles,astheylackedthewordstodescribetheshametheyfelttotheadultsandpeersintheirlives.Thesestrugglesspanwellbeyondweaknessesinreading,writing,andmath.Mentalhealthandlearningdisabilitiesareinterwoven,andthesechallengesfollowlearningdisabledindividualsastheytransitionoutofhighschoolandintopostsecondaryeducationandtheworkplace. “ItwasnotuntilundergradthatIlearnedthatitisn’tnormaltofeellikeyoucan’tbreatheeverytimebeforeattemptinghomework.” —StevieMays Manylearningdisabledpeoplereportfeelingunsafeandliketheydonotbelongintheclassroom.Intalkingwithalmostanylearningdisabledperson,theywilltellyouthattheirlearningdisabilityhasimpactedthemfarbeyondjusttheirstrugglewithlearningskillslikemathandreading.Theywilltellyouthatexistingasalearningdisabledpersonimpactsone’swholeexperiencewiththeworld,howtheworldinteractswiththem,andhowtheyinteractwiththeworld.Yes,it’simportantforustohelpLDstudentsinacademicareaslikereadingandwriting.Butifwefailtolookbeyondacademics,atthewholeperson,wemissanentireaspectofthelearningdisabledexperience.Wemisswhatitactuallymeanstoexistasalearningdisabledperson. “Atage16,aseveryonearoundmewroteinfinepenmanship,Ifeltlikeachildstillwritingwithredcrayon.Itdidn’tmatterwhatorhowwellIwrote–Iwasn’tallowedtobelong.” —Brody Whatareyoudoingpersonallytobetterunderstandandaddresstheexperiencesofthelearningdisabledcommunityandwhyourpeersarepushedoutofschools,intotheprisonsystem,intolow-wagecareers,and,inthebestcase,intocollegesettingsthatdon’tsupportus? Weneedtotalkaboutmentalillnessforwhatitis:adisability.Adisabilitythatdeservesthesamesupportandfocusasdyslexia,ADHD,andotherlearningdisabilities. Ourdyslexia,anxiety,ADHD,depression,dysgraphia,PTSD,andmorearedisabilitiesthatneedsupport,understanding,andrecognition.ManyofusontheYALCsaythatfindingtheLDcommunitywasthekeytousfeelinglikewefinallyunderstoodourselvesandwereabletocomeoutofourshame.Wefoundstrengthinoursharedexperiencesandwereabletonamemanyofourexperiencesforwhattheywere:educationaltrauma.Indoingsowefoundourvoice,notonlytoshareourstoriesbuttoadvocateforourcommunityasawhole. TotheLDpersonreadingthis,weseeandempathizewithyourstruggles.WeencourageyoutoseekoutyourLDcommunityandembraceyourdisabilityidentity.Thedisabilitylabel(includingmentalhealthandlearningdisabilities)giveyouaccesstosupportandtreatment.Italsocomeswithacommunitythatwantstowelcomeyouin. Finally,thisletterisacalltoaction—acalltoourresearchers,policymakers,educators,andparentsandcaregiverstobetterunderstand,address,andfindsolutionsforthementalhealthneedsofindividualswithlearningdisabilities.   WHATYOUCANDOTOHELP!   Forresearchers: Includementalhealthasmeasuresinyourdatacollection,andmentalhealthdisabilitiesascovariates. Researcheducationaltrauma,includingitsprevalenceandimpactonstudentswithlearningdisabilities. ConductholisticresearchontheexperiencesofLDstudentsbeyondouracademicsuccess,andunderstandtheimpactonournon-academiclives. Researchtheintersectionofmentalhealthandlearningdisabilities,andspecificallytheexperiencesofBIPOC,LGBTQ+,andhistoricallymarginalizedgroups. IncludeLDpeopleinyourresearchprocessbeyondthembeingresearchsubjects.Ensurethatlearningdisabledpeopleareapartoftheresearchdesignprocess.GetfeedbackfromtheLDcommunityandensurethattheresearchquestionsyouaskarealignedwiththevaluesofthecommunityyou’restudying.HireLDpeopleinyourlabsandcenterssoagoodpercentageofthenextgenerationofpeoplestudyingLDareLDthemselves. Forpolicymakers: Increasefundingforearlyidentification,treatment,andpsychologicalsupportwithinschools.Weneedwell-fundedschool-basedmentalhealthprograms,schoolpsychologists,counselors,andsocialworkers. KeepyourpromiseandfullyfundIDEA,afterover40yearsofneverdoingso. Banthepracticesofseclusionandrestraintthathaveharmedandoppresseddisabledstudentsfordecades. Foreducators: Manyofyourstudentsarewalkingintoyourclassroomwithyearsofeducationaltrauma.Youcanendit.Focusonstudents’strengthswhilealsoacknowledgingandbuildingsolutionstoaddressourweaknesses,andlistentostudentswhentheyarebraveinsharingtheirexperiences. Beawareoftheinterconnectednessofmentalhealthandlearningdisabilities,andworkwithustocreatestrategiesthataddresswhatweneedandpreventnegativeoutcomes. Avoidtermssuchas“lazy”whenyoutalkaboutyourdisabledstudents.Wearen’tlazy.We’retryingourbest. Forparentsandcaregivers: Talkaboutmentalhealthwithus,andhelpusownouridentitiesasmembersofthedisabilitycommunity. Lookforearlywarningsignsofmentalhealthissuesandteachustobeself-advocates,sothatwhenwe’reonourown,we’vegottheskillstostandupforourselvesandthethingsweneedtobesuccessfullearners. Forthelearningdisabledcommunity: Embraceyourlearningdisabilityidentity.Don’tbeafraidtousethelanguageofdisability.Tabooandstigmaleadpeopletouseeuphemisms.Butultimately,ourlegalrightsandourconnectiontocommunitydependonidentifyingasdisabled.Wecanendthestigmaandtabooofbeingdisabledbyembracingthiscommunity. Bewillingtotalkabouthowmentalhealthimpactsyouinschool.Wearefunctioninginschoolsystemsthatarenotdesignedforusandthat“others”usconstantly.Allowingyourselftogetsupportisthegreatestgiftyoucangivetoyourself.Weknowit’shardtostickoutastheoneusingaccommodations,butyou’llbegladyoudid. Understandthatyou’llneedtoself-advocateforbothyourLDandyourmentalhealth.Thismaylookliketellingyourparentsandeducatorswhatyouneedinaclassroomsettingtosucceed.ThismeansattendingyourIEPmeetingandmakingsureyouraccommodationsreflectyourneeds. Thiscalltoactiononlyscratchesthesurfaceofalargerconversation.Ourvoicematters.Joinusinamplifyingthisinitiativebysigningbelow. Sincerely, TheYoungAdultLeadershipCouncil ×