Every career has it’s own jargon and technical language. Special education is no different. It’s easy to get lost in the maze of abbreviations: FAPE, LRE, IEE, ESY. The legalese can be intimidating: Continuum of Placement, Annual Yearly Progress, Prior Written Notice, Due Process. But understanding and using even a few of special education’s key terms can help you gain the respect and authority you need at the IEP table to affect positive change for your child.

Read Related Post: How School Boards are Using Endrew F. Supreme Court Case Against Students with Down Syndrome

Don’t worry about memorizing all the acronyms and technical definitions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Unless you do this for a living, it can be next to  impossible to know off hand what everything means. Instead, don’t be afraid to ask questions. The best questions start with “why?” Or “Can you show me where it says that in your district or state policies?” Also, bringing an advocate who knows about state or federal law can help. Find one here.

Still, there are some must-know terms that could ensure your child gets the supports and services he needs.  When it comes to your child’s IEP keep these key terms in mind:

1. FAPE– The entire basis of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) centers around FAPE or a Free and Appropriate Education. Before IDEA was signed in 1975, children with disabilities either had no access to education or were put in a classroom with no supports or expectations that learning would occur. But the question since then has been: what is an “appropriate” education? Now you can use key terms from the recent Supreme Court Case, Endrew F., to advocate for a more “meaningful” and “ambitious” IEP. Click here for easy to understand talking points from Endrew F. to help you advocate for your child. Click here for a worksheet you can take with you to problem-solve issues in the IEP.

2. LRE– Parents of children with Down syndrome are typically in support of full inclusion in general education with proper supports, but too many aren’t accessing the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). A key term that may help your child’s school understand the seriousness of LRE is “Continuum of Placement.” IDEA specifically states that the continuum of placement for all students starts in general education with proper supports. A school can only move a child to a more restrictive environment after they have exhausted all supports and proven the child has made no meaningful progress. Too many schools start in a self-contained room, without even trying general education with proper supports. Next time you’re at the IEP table and school personnel push for a restrictive environment, remind them that the continuum of placement starts in general education with supports. Ask them if other supports or services can be added to make your child successful there first.

3. SDI– Even before you make a decision about placement and LRE, you should ask about Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) and Related Services. SDI is adapting content, methodology, or the delivery of instruction as appropriate for the needs of your child. Related Services are supportive services required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education like teacher or parent training, counseling services, transportation, therapy or medical services. Always remember what SDI is NOT: it does not take the place of grade level curriculum and is not a type of placement. In fact, SDI should drive placement in the least restrictive environment. Click here for some ideas of SDI.

4. PWN-One of the most powerful key terms to learn is “Prior Written Notice” or PWN. Don’t be fooled by the word “prior.” Instead, think of this as getting notice from the school at any point there is an agreement or disagreement. Ohio state actually has a PWN form that schools use, but many states and school district have no idea that they’re supposed to give parents notice in writing. When it comes to most legal documents, if decisions aren’t in writing they never happened. Often schools have no problem giving you notice about benign topics like meeting dates or evaluation timelines, but when it comes to disagreements notice is often missing. Make sure you ask your child’s IEP team to give you Prior Written Notice explaining a refuse of placement or service. This will create a paper trail if problems persist. On another note, you should also put your thoughts and decisions in writing, and ask that it’s officially added to your child’s IEP. If you really want extra speech time for your child, but never put it in writing and never ask the school to give you notice as to why they refuse more time, then it’s like the request and denial never happened. Read the related post below for more information on PWN.

Read Related Post: 3 Words That Will Transform Your Next IEP Meeting

To read more by Courtney Hansen, or to follow her blog, Inclusion Evolution, click on the link below.