Every effort is made to help children learn alongside their peers who do not have disabilities. But sometimes the level of support needed cannot be met in a general classroom, so students are educated in a specialized learning classroom that is more appropriate for their needs. These classes have fewer students per teacher and allow for more one-on-one instruction. The teacher usually has training in helping kids with special educational needs. Students spend most of their day in a small group classroom and join the regular classes whenever possible — for example, lunch, gym, or the arts.

Your child’s IEP should be reviewed annually to update goals and make sure your child is getting the support that is needed. However, IEPs can be changed at any time on an as-needed basis. If you think your child needs more, fewer, or different services, you can request a team meeting to discuss your concerns.

The IEP is a legal document, and the special education plans inside your child’s IEP cannot be started without your signature. If you are happy with the steps the school will take to educate your child, sign the IEP. However, if you have doubts about the strategies and plans mapped in your child’s IEP, you have every right not to sign the IEP until you and the school agree.

At every IEP meeting, you should receive a copy of A Guide to Parent Rights in Special Education. Take time to read this document as it outlines your rights and your child’s rights according to IDEA and the Ohio Operating Standards. It also gives parents information and resources to help them understand their child’s special education supports and services.

Placement Options

The school will offer you placement options, usually in a preschool classroom. The model in Ohio is to have children with different kinds of disabilities included with some typical peers for four-half days each week during the school year (about 10 – 12 hours per week). Every public school district is required to have an inclusive preschool classroom in one of their elementary buildings. An inclusive preschool allows typically developing children to attend school with children who have disabilities. High-quality inclusive classrooms with higher ratios of typical peers were found to have a significant impact on children with disabilities, allowing the growth of language skills and social-emotional skills. Disability professionals, such as Intervention Specialists, Student Aides, and special educators, are present in the preschool classroom to help guide your child and to ensure that the goals of the IEP are being addressed. Transportation is usually included.

However, if the district does not have openings in a preschool classroom or if the team does not feel your child can successfully participate in a classroom setting, the district is required to offer itinerant services, i.e., a special education teacher who comes to the home or daycare setting to work with your child.

Special Education Meetings

IEP team meetings can be very emotional. Remember that while most educators have entered the field because they want to help children, your district may or may not have expertise in Autism. In addition, the school must offer your child an “appropriate” program, not necessarily the best one; schools have competing priorities, resources, and funding challenges. You have one priority – your child.

You know your child best, and you are part of their IEP team. Be assertive about your priorities and your child’s needs but in a way that respects the other team members. Build relationships with school staff. Learn to listen, ask questions and negotiate. Make an effort to understand where the school is coming from. You may have to meet the school district halfway. For example, instead of demanding a particular service (such as, a one-on-one aide), present the core problem to the team (e.g., “My child has trouble staying on task”), and ask how the team proposes to handle the situation. This respects the staff’s professionalism and allows them to produce solutions they are more likely to use. They may come up with the solution you want but if they don’t, then you can present your request, “How about …?”

School districts often have a Parent Mentor on staff who guides families through the special education process by helping families understand their rights and responsibilities, attending IEP meetings and other meetings at the request of families or staff, and connecting the family to resources. Parent mentor services are free. You can find a list of Parent Mentors on the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD) website. OCECD is a statewide nonprofit organization with a mission to ensure that every Ohio child with special needs receives a free, appropriate, public education in the least restrictive environment to enable that child to reach his/her highest potential.

Or look for an advocate in your area of the state to assist you with your issue if you cannot resolve it yourself, or if you want support through the process. Contact the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities. Anyone who has working knowledge about your child and his disability may attend the IEP meeting with you for support. Take notes of all your calls and meetings as you may need them later. (See Call Recordkeeping Form in the Appendix.)

The school district is only required to have your signature on the first IEP. After the first IEP, the school district may carry out consecutive IEP’s without your signature (consent).  If the school district implements the IEP without your signature, you may exercise your procedural safeguard rights to address the area of disagreement.