Procedural safeguards are at the heart of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. As we conduct a new informational series on procedural safeguards, what would you change about IDEA's scheme for protecting parent/student rights?
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The current procedural safeguards are unclear as to the issue of consent requirements for parents with regard to the continuation of special education services and IEP revisions and change in identification and a new IEP that results from a change in identification.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I'm finding a lot of variability among states in the "meaningful" participation of parents in the IEP process. It is simply unclear if IEPs are able to be developed without a parent present or whether it is not permissible. Developing IEPs with parental participation or involvement is not best practice. I believe it continues to establish the adversarial nature of the special education process.
Anon,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment.
JG
I have seen parental involvement vary by my students. I have some students who have parents who are very involved and want to know everything but then I have some who don't care about being involved in anything. I have sent home parent consent and meeting notices that they send back signed but then they never show up for the actual IEP meeting. I think parents should be involved but if they are not interested enough to show for meetings or conferences, the schools still have to provide for the students needs. So I feel like best practice is keeping the child's education at the for front of everything, Not the parents wants and needs.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Amber, far too often parents seem uninterested in the IEP process or too busy to attend meetings. This results in a delay of student care and planning. While I absolutely believe that parents must be informed of and give consent to the IEP, there must also be ways for parents to waive or decline their right to attend the meetings.
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