• Special education and disability laws

    This section includes links to the text of federal and state laws – including regulations related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act – as well as links to resources for parents to better understand the special education process.

     

    Individuals with Disabilities Act

    IDEA 97 provides for a free appropriate public education for all children experiencing disabilities in the least restrictive environment. When researching this law, people usually use the following resources:

     

    The following links are to documents that explain the special education process:

     

    Confidentiality of student records

    This section includes links to documents that explain the Family Education Rights Privacy Act and the state regulations that require confidentiality of student records.

    •  from the PACER Center

     

    Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

    Section 504 requires school staff to provide eligible students with disabilities with a free appropriate public education in which the benefits and opportunities are comparable to those provided to non-disabled students.

     

    The following links are to resources that explain parent and student rights under Section 504: