Understanding What’s Going On
When a school district or administration decides to reduce special-education services, it can feel overwhelming, confusing, and even frightening. As parents of neurodivergent children, we may suddenly face questions like:
Why are minutes being cut, or a service no longer offered?
Who made this decision and based on what data?
How can we respond in a way that protects our child’s rights?
It helps me to remember that in the U.S., the federal law Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is designed to ensure that children with disabilities receive a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE). LSNJ Law+2U.S. Department of Education+2 Under IDEA, one key ruling was Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District RE–1, which clarified that a child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) must be “reasonably calculated to enable progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.”
However, as we all know too well, the system is under strain. Funding gaps…