Throughout this workshop, we will provide a great deal more information on IEPs, parent rights, student involvement and what a good school program for a child with a disability might look like. For now, we would like you to leave this section with a few tips.
Keep in mind that the previous page describes only some of the more commonly requested services on the IEP. You can also request physical therapy, psychological counseling, behavior plans and other services.
Stating that the district does not have personnel does not mean they don't have responsibility to provide that service. We have heard many stories in Indian country of students who did not receive speech therapy services as promised on their IEP because the district did not have a speech pathologist or she had too many students on her case load. Do not accept this excuse. If the school did not have a first grade teacher, they wouldn't just not offer first grade. They would have to find a teacher, get a substitute, bus the kids somewhere, but you better believe there would be a first grade that year.
In some cases, the school may write a new plan less often than every year, if the parent gives permission. DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION.
Students with disabilities and their parents have rights guaranteed under the law. These include, among others, the right to request another assessment if you believe the test results were wrong, the right to be informed about your educational plan and to be involved in writing it.
Effective parent involvement: Advice from Turtle Mountain and Hollywood