Special Education Action's mission is to ensure parents, educators, and students have the information and tools necessary to fully understand, address, and safeguard the unique needs of all students who require special education.

Recent Articles

How to File a Privacy Violation Complaint

Imagine your school or someone in the school division violates the privacy of your child. 

Can you file a complaint? If yes, how? Parents and/or students who believe a student’s privacy has been violated under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), have a right to file a complaint. FERPA applies to all students. However, students who have IEPs have additional protection under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Let’s explore both below.

Students’ Behavioral Needs are Focus of New U.S. Department of Education Guidance Document

U.S. Department of Education released a new guidance document to “help schools and early childhood programs better support students’ behavioral needs.”

The guidance document, “Using Functional Behavioral Assessments to Create Supportive Learning Environments”, focuses on supporting all students whose behaviors impact their learning, regardless of disability status.

Office for Civil Rights Issues Guidance to Ensure Artificial Intelligence is Used in Nondiscriminatory Manner

The Office for Civil Rights released guidance to ensure artificial intelligence (AI) is “used in a nondiscriminatory manner in the nation’s elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education consistent with federal civil rights laws.”
It's the Law

It’s the Law: Comprehensive Evaluations

Whether your child is receiving an initial evaluation for eligibility or being reevaluated at a later date, the evaluation must be a comprehensive evaluation.

In the case of initial evaluations, §300.301(a) of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) is your go-to regulation:

Each public agency must conduct a full and individual initial evaluation, in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.306, before the initial provision of special education and related services to a child with a disability under this part.

Accommodation Breakdown: Extended Time

How is extended time determined? What amount of time is the correct amount?

There is no one-size-fits all answer. It depends on the student and it could depend on the class, too.

Any number of things could lead to students experiencing fatigue, headaches, eye strain, and/or other struggles that impact them as the day progresses.