IEP Slay

IDEA says it directly in 34 C.F.R. § 300.102(a) (3)(i): “The obligation to make
FAPE available... does not apply” to children with disabilities “who have graduated from high school with a regular high school diploma.” It also says that graduation with a regular high school diploma “constitutes a change in placement” requiring prior written notice.

Graduation is exciting, but for students with IEPs, accepting a standard diploma is a major legal decision.

The moment a student graduates with a regular high school diploma, the district’s obligation to provide special education services under IDEA ends. That means no more IEP, no more related services, no more transition services.

Parents should make sure their child is truly ready before agreeing to graduation because once that diploma is accepted, there is no going back.

‼️Important: a certificate of completion, certificate of attendance, or other alternative credential does not end IDEA eligibility the same way a standard diploma does.

A shocking amount of our love story can be explained by this! 😂

Some days I still think about the mom I used to be sitting at the IEP Meeting table.

Grateful that I now get to help other families feel supported, heard, and empowered.

🛑 PLEASE be very careful who you are getting your Special Education Legal information from!

When you request an IEE, the law is actually VERY clear:

Under 34 C.F.R. §300.502(b) the district has only two options -

1. Grant the IEE at public expense, or

2. File for due process “without unnecessary delay” to defend their evaluation.

🔗Click the link in my bio for information on how to get access to resources to educate you on Special Education Law.

Ryan’s secret to inner peace:

When Mom starts talking, simply walk away and cover your ears.

Honestly, based on some of my IEP Meetings this week, I suspect a lot of people wish they could do the same.

The Comment Section Is About to Be Wild! 🍿

A 1:1 aide is a service. It is not a placement.

I saw this question over and over again: “Is a student with a 1:1 aide in a general education classroom more restricted than a student in a self-contained classroom?”

The answer is no.

The special education placement continuum is based on access to nondisabled peers and the general education environment, not on how many supports a student receives.

A student in a general education classroom with a 1:1 aide is still participating in the general education setting alongside nondisabled peers.

A student in a self-contained classroom is receiving instruction in a more specialized setting with fewer opportunities to learn alongside nondisabled peers.

That doesn’t mean a self-contained classroom is wrong. For some students, it is exactly what they need to receive FAPE.

But a 1:1 aide does not automatically make a placement more restrictive. It is simply one of many supplementary aids and services that may allow a student to remain in a less restrictive setting.

Placement and services are not the same thing and mixing them up creates a lot of confusion in IEP meetings.

Did your school ever tell you that a 1:1 aide was “more restrictive” than a self-contained classroom?

The roof of my mouth heals. Weak coffee is forever. 😂☕️

A special education student may require a more restrictive placement. Districts are legally required to provide those options.

But under IDEA, LRE is the general education classroom with supplementary aids and services. The legal question is whether the student can receive FAPE in the LRE.