On November 29, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) into law. An amendment to Public Law 94-142 in 1990 renamed the law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Learn more about the history of this special education law here: Do you have questions about how the IDEA applies to your student with disabilities? My IEP Advocate can help! Request a consultation: myIEPadvocate | Consultation Form Co

A: I recommend to my clients for their child, if they agree, to sign a letter on their 18th birthday that says that they need parental/guardian involvement and assistance to make all decisions about their educational services, graduation, and transition planning and therefore they need any requests for their agreement to be in writing and sent simultaneously to their parent/guardian. The student may also make a formal request in an IEP meeting and have it documented in the

Q: What is Section 504? A: Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination based upon disability in federally assisted programs or activities. Section 504 is an anti-discrimination, civil rights statute that requires the needs of students with disabilities to be met as adequately as the needs of non-disabled students. Under Section 504, students with disabilities have the right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Section 504 of the Rehabi

Q: Just how effective can an Advocate be for me? A: Very effective! Read what other parents have to say: According to the latest parent satisfaction survey results: 100% of parents said they are, "Very likely to recommend" Amy’s services and workshops to other families and gave Amy a rating of, “Excellent.” 94% of parents said they gained knowledge and strategies from Amy that they can effectively use in advocating for their child in the future. 97% of parents said they

This is a question that I am asked frequently. While there are similarities between a 504 Plan and an IEP, each has different provisions. For students with disabilities there are two federal laws that protect and guarantee their rights: Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, or IDEA (originally enacted in 1975) which regulates IEPs and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or 504. Both laws provide students with disabilities with a Free Appropria

No. Many parents I consult with are often surprised to learn that once their child completes high school or turns 22, they will no longer have an IEP or be eligible to receive services under the IDEA. However, disabled students who attend college are protected from discrimination based upon disability under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is an anti-discrimin

Yes. Disabled college students and individuals with disabilities in the workplace are protected from discrimination based upon disability under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is an anti-discrimination, civil rights statute that requires the needs of individuals with disabilities to be met as adequately as the needs of non-disabled individuals. Section 504 st

BREAKING NEWS: 04/05/2023 FL: House approves new path for parental oversight of adult children with disabilities Legislation creating a new procedure for parents of adult children with disabilities, and who have a current IEP, to stay involved in their child’s education is heading to the Senate after a bill’s unanimous House approval. A cheer rose in the House after the legislation (HB 19) received unanimous assent. The bill, which Democratic Rep. Allison Tant of Tallahassee

According to the Informal Removals Matter post from the Discipline Discussions blog series, Valerie Williams, Director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), highlights the impact of informal removals on students, parents/guardians, and school personnel: Informal removals often fly “under-the-radar” and therefore are not considered when evaluating whether a student’s protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are being exercised Info

July 19, 2022, Washington, DC- The U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) released new guidance documents designed to clarify use of disciplinary practices in schools for students with disabilities and provided resources to schools regarding their obligations under federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination and ensure that students with disabilities receive a free and approp