September 2010 In Spanish | En español The education of children with disabilities is a top national priority. Our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), sets high standards for their achievement and guides how special help and services are made available in schools to address their individual needs. More than 6 million children with disabilities receive special education and related services … [Read more...]
Print 
PDFGet a Copy of IDEA
September 2010 This information in Spanish | Esta información en español If you are involved in the well-being of an infant, toddler, child, or youth with disabilities, you'll find reading the exact language of IDEA both illuminating and important. In addition to being able to read it here, online, you may also wish to download a full copy, print it out, and keep it handy. The Law (Statute) Current Name: The Individuals with Disabilities Education … [Read more...]
IDEA—the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
November 2012 In Spanish | En español IDEA was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education, just like other children. The law has been revised many times over the years. The most recent amendments were passed by Congress in December 2004, with final regulations published in August 2006 (Part B for school-aged children) and in September … [Read more...]
Building the Legacy | Construyendo el Legado
A Training Curriculum on IDEA 2004 November 2010 The Building the Legacy / Construyendo el Legado training curriculum was produced by NICHCY at the request of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education. The curriculum is intended to help all those involved with children with disabilities understand and implement the IDEA 2004, the nation's special education law. Building the Legacy / Construyendo el … [Read more...]
What It Means To Be Highly Qualified
October 2010 We want so much from our teachers. To be well trained in educational best practice. To know the subjects they teach and be full of enthusiasm to share that knowledge. To be good at sharing that knowledge, lighting the thirst for more. To be excellent classroom managers, too, of course, as well as behavior experts in their own right. Not a job most of us could take on. This webpage focuses on what it means to be a highly qualified … [Read more...]
Guidance from the U.S. Department of Education
Updated December 2012 The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education regularly provides guidance to the field on the nation’s special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). “Guidance” can take several forms: OSEP’s correspondence in response to questions received from the field; policy documents and letters on priority issues; and non-regulatory guidance. All … [Read more...]
Q & A on IDEA 2004: Purposes and Key Definitions
April 2009 PDF Version More than 6.8 million children with disabilities in our public schools receive special education and related services as part of their publicly funded education. (1) But... What is special education? What are related services? Who’s considered a "child with a disability?" This Q&A is designed to answer these questions—looking in detail at the mandates and requirements of our nation’s special education … [Read more...]
Q & A Series on IDEA
NICHCY is pleased to offer this series on IDEA 2004 and its requirements. Each Q&A in the series looks closely at what our nation's special education law has to say about a specific subject. There are only two Q&As at the moment, but more will be coming! The Q&As are copyright-free, as are all NICHCY's publications, so you are welcome to share them as widely as you'd like. Here are the first two issues in the series, for your reading … [Read more...]
Questions and Answers about IDEA: Parent Participation
Questions and Answers on IDEA (QA2) April 2009 | Links updated, May 2013 PDF version How does IDEA ensure that families have meaningful opportunities to participate? That will be the focus of this Q&A—the solid foundation IDEA provides for parental involvement. Topics covered are: The Power of Parent Participation Parental Rights to Participate, Summarized Parent Notification Parent Consent Resources of More Information We’ve … [Read more...]
Part B Indicators
Updated, April 2013So you're interested in Part B indicators, are you? Impressive. Most people have never heard of them, let alone why they are important. NICHCY is pleased to serve as a gateway to this essential information.What are the Part B indicators?Where did the indicators come from?General resources on the indicatorsList of indicators, with links to more info on each _______________________________________________What are the Part B Indicators?Part … [Read more...]
