Special Education Law

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA is a national law ensuring services to children with disabilities. This Act governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. IDEA gives children with disabilities and their families important protections specifically ensuring children are given proper assessments and tests to determine their special needs. Children are able to attend an annual individualized education program meeting in order to develop their individual education plan. And children and parents were able to resolve disputes through an impartial district process. IDEA defines children with disabilities as individuals between the ages of three and 22 with one or more of the following conditions: mental retardation, hearing impairment including deafness, speech or language impairment, visual impairment including blindness, serious emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury or specific learning disability.