PARENT'S BILL OF RIGHTS
Parents often have difficulty understanding the educational laws that affect their children with disabilities. To assist, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has issued a Parents' Bill of Rights. Missouri school districts must provide the Bill of Rights to parents when a child is determined eligible for special education services or when an initial Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed.
LINK:
Parent's Bill of Rights (in Special Education)
As a parent of a child with a disability, you have the right to:
1. Attend individualized education program (IEP) meetings and represent your child's interests.
2. Have an advocate or expert present at individualized education program (IEP) meetings.
3. Receive a copy of your child's evaluation, disagree with it, and request one independent educational evaluation at public expense.
4. Provide a written report from outside sources as part of the evaluation process.
5. Examine all education records pertaining to your child and be provided with a copy of the individualized education program.
6. Disagree with the decision of the individualized education program (IEP) team and pursue complaint procedures, including: filing a child complaint with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, state paid mediation, have an impartial due process hearing, and appeal the due process decision to the court.
7. Participate in reviews of the individualized education programs (IEPs) and in any decision to change any aspects of the IEP, as well as receive a written notice of action before a change in your child’s educational placement or the provision of a free and appropriate public education.
8. Have your child placed in the least restrictive environment and in a general education classroom to the greatest extent appropriate.
9. Request an accommodation to provide effective communications if you have limited English language proficiency.
10. A free appropriate public education for your child with an individualized education program designed to meet your child's unique needs, which may include, but not be limited to, special education and related services, such as assistive technology devices and services; transportation; speech pathology services; audiology services; interpreting services; psychological services, including behavioral interventions; physical therapy; occupational therapy; recreation, including therapeutic recreation; counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling; orientation and mobility services; school health services; school nurse services; social work services; parent counseling and training; and, medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes.
