Parents Rights

What are my responsibilities as a parent? 

As a parent you are in the best position to advocate for your child, and in order to do that you must be aware of what you can do to ensure that your child receives the services and accommodations she or he needs. 

1. Stay informed. Understand your child's diagnosis, how it impacts her or his education and what can be done at home to help.
2. Understand your child's IEP. If you have questions, do not be afraid to ask. If you still have questions, continue to ask until you completely understand the process, the IEP, and how this will help your child's education.  Do not sign an IEP unless you understand and agree with the contents.  
3. Speak with your child's teacher. Teachers often have similar concerns as parents and welcome the opportunity to discuss them. 
4. Get it in writing. When possible obtain written documentation from teachers, administrators, or other professionals working with your child describing any behavioral or academic concerns they may have. 
5. Know your rights. 
6. Play an active role in preparing your child's IEP or Section 504 plan. Make suggestions, and speak up if you feel a goal, objective, or accommodation is not appropriate.
7. Keep careful records. This should include any written documentation you have obtained, communication between home and school, progress reports and evaluations. You should also keep a copy of any letter you send to the school. Keep these records well organized and in one place, they may be very useful. 
8. Try to maintain a good working relationship with the school while being a strong advocate for your child. 
9. Communicate any concerns you may have about your child's progress or IEP or 504 plan.  Schedule meetings to ensure you and the school are on the same page. Find an unobtrusive way to communicate on a regular basis with your child's teachers, perhaps using a communication notebook. 
10. Encourage your child everyday and devise a system to help with homework and other school projects. 

Source: http://www.help4adhd.org/education/rights/idea

Specific Parents Rights:

1. You have the right to refer your child for special education services. 

2. If you consent in writing to the special education and related services for your child but do not consent to all of the components of the IEP, those components of the program to which you have consented must be implemented without delay. 

3. If at any time subsequent to the initial provision of special education and related services, the parent of a child revokes consent in writing for the continued provision of special education and related services, the public agency must stop all special education services. 

4. You have the right to have your child assessed in all areas of suspected disability. Materials and procedures used for assessment and placement must not be racially, culturally, or sexually discriminatory.

5. Assessment materials must be provided and the test administered in your child’s native language or mode of communication. 

6. If you disagree with the results of the assessment conducted by the school district, you have the right to ask for and obtain an independent educational assessment for your child from a person. 

7. A parent is entitled to only one independent educational evaluation at public expense each time the public agency conducts an evaluation with which the parent disagrees.

8. You have a right to inspect and review all of your child’s education records without unnecessary delay

9. Have an interpreter provided at any stage of the Special Education Referral Process 

Source: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/fp/