The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that ensures all children with any type of disability have the right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). All public schools are legally required to follow IDEA, along with applicable state laws.
Think of it like this: if a lawyer went into court and ignored the laws they were bound to follow, the judge would hold them accountable. Schools are no different—they have laws they must follow to protect students’ rights.
I’ve seen too many cases where schools are denying accommodations, placing students in restrictive environments before trying supports in general education, and failing to exhaust options that IDEA requires.
IDEA was written to apply to all children and must be applied consistently. When schools follow IDEA as intended, the foundation of education is built correctly, allowing children with any disability to experience growth and learning opportunities just like their peers. However, when schools cherry-pick which parts of the law to follow, it is our children’s education that suffers—leaving parents to navigate complex laws and regulations on their own.