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FAQ

Helpful Information

WHO ARE DIVERSE LEARNERS?

Diverse learners include children and students of all abilities from racially, ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse communities and backgrounds (Oklahoma State Department of Education, n.d.)

WHAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION?

Special education is a service, not a placement. Before special education services begin, a parent provides consent, and an evaluation must occur to determine the following:

  •  whether a child has a physical or mental disability substantially limiting learning.

  • the possible causes of a disability

  • strengths and weaknesses of a child's physical, emotional, social, vocational, and intellectual areas

  • educational diagnosis category that describes the disability

  • special services, instructional techniques, and other interventions that the child needs

  • appropriate instructional placement 

  • reasonably predict the child's academic, social, and vocational potential (Payne, 2001).

Resource: Essential Tips for Leaders, Parents and Educators Chapters Two & Three Essential Tips for Parents

WHAT IS AN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN?

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written document developed for each eligible disabled child. IEPs are required for students who qualify for special education services.
Resource: Essential Tips for Parent, Educators and Leaders Chapters Two & Three

WHAT DOES AN IEP ADDRESS?

An IEP is a mandated document aligned with the Individuals with Disability Education Act to address a child's needs with the appropriate services based on deficits. It has goals and objectives, accommodations, and modifications with a certified special education teacher to promote progress in the learning environment.

Resource: All Essential Tips Books Chapters Two & Three

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WHAT IS A SECTION 504?

  • Section 504 originates from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973/Public Law 93-112.  The Section 504 Rehabilitation Act is a comprehensive law that addresses disabled persons' rights and applies to all federal financial assistance agencies.

  • Section 504 aims to eliminate barriers to education programs and services, increase building accessibility, and establish equitable employment practices. (US Department of Education, 2020).

Resource Essential Tips for Parents, Leaders, Educators and Coordinators 

WHAT IS A SECTION 504 PLAN?

A Section 504 plan is a plan designed to address individuals with a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.
Resource: All Essential Tips Books Chapters Two & Three

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A IEP AND A SECTION 504 PLAN?

An IEP is aligned with IDEA, and a Section 504 plan is aligned with the Office of Civil Rights.


Both plans support individuals with disabilities. An IEP specializes in instruction and has goals and state-mandated disability qualification catergories. 


A Section Plan provides accommodations and services for an individual with a disability in the general education class.

HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTING SERVICES FOR MY CHILD AT SCHOOL?

Services usually start with intervention teams. Student Support Teams (teachers, parents, and school personnel) meet to discuss areas of deficits and create data-driven intervention plans to address needs. Overtime and based on data the team may decide to a student requires additional services in an IEP or 504 plan.
Parents can also request a referral for special education or a 504 plan through a direct parent referral.

WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS AS A PARENT REGARDING SERVICES?

Parents are afforded rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Those rights are usually the same throughout the district. School districts must provide parent rights before the IEP meeting. Here are the foundational components of Parent Rights according to IDEA Regulation Sec. 300.322: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.322/a

WHAT IS A THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A IEP AND 504 PLAN/SERVICES?

  • Section 504 programs provide accommodations, whereas IEPs address instruction through specific, measurable goals and objectives.

  • Students under Section 504 receive services in the general education class.

  • Special education students may be in a general education class or small group class or receive support from a special education teacher in the general education class.

  • The Office of Civil Rights monitors Section 504, while state departments monitor special education.

Resource: All Essential Tips Books Chapters Five

WHAT AND HOW MANY CATERGORIES ARE THERE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION?

There are fourteen eligibility categories according to the US Department of Education:

  1. Autism

  2. Deaf-Blindness

  3. Deafness

  4. Developmental Delay

  5. Emotional Behavior Disorder

  6. Hearing Impairment: 

  7. Intellectual Disability

  8. Multiple Disabilities 

  9. Orthopedic Impairment

  10. Other Health Impaired

  11. Specific Learning Disability

  12. Speech or Language Impairment

  13. Traumatic Brain Injury

  14. Visual Impairment

(U.S. Department of Education, 2018)

Click the link to view details: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8

Resource: All Essential Tips Books

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CAN MY CHILD WITH A DOCUMENT DISABILITY RECEIVE SERVICES IN COLLEGE?

  • Yes, Title II prohibits discrimination based on a disability by public entities, regardless of receipt of Federal funds.

  • If the postsecondary institution is a private college or university, not a religious entity. In that case, it complies with Title III of the ADA (Title III), which means that students with disabilities are entitled to protection at the collegiate level.

  • Section 504 and Title II require that postsecondary institutions provide students with disabilities with accommodations, including appropriate academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services (US Department of Education (ED), 1998).”

Resource: Essential Tips for Parents Chapter Nine

WHAT IS THE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT?

MTSS is a framework to provide targeted support to struggling students with high-quality instruction and intervention, social and emotional learning, and positive behavioral supports necessary to ensure positive outcomes.
Essential Components of MTSS | Center on Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. (n.d.).
Resource: All Essential Tips Books
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WHAT IS AN ESOL STUDENT?

  • English Speakers of Other Languages is the state-funded language instruction educational program for eligible English learners (ELs) in grades K-12. 

  • The goal of the ESOL programs is to increase a student's native language other than English English language proficiency (ELP) and academic language proficiency in content-area subject matter.

  • ESOL programs are aligned with WIDA Consortium English Language Development (ELD) Standards and have a dedicated ESOL teacher and standard for general education teachers to address to promote proficiency (Georgia Department of Education, 2023)

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