What is special education?

Special education is specially designed instruction that addresses the unique needs of a student eligible to receive special education services. Special education is provided at no cost to parents and includes the related services a student needs to access her/his educational program.

How is a child referred to special education?

• Typically, a child is referred for a special education evaluation if your child's teacher has concerns about your child and pre-referral interventions have not alleviated those concerns.
• As a parent, you can also directly request that your child be tested for special education services.
• A special education evaluation cannot be done without your permission. Once you give written permission for an evaluation, the school has 30 school days to complete the evaluation.

Once my child qualifies for special education, what then?

• If your child qualifies for special education, you will work with a team to develop an Individual Education Program (IEP) plan. The IEP will include annual goals for your child. These goals might be related to your child's academic needs, behavioral needs, communication needs or fine motor skills. No IEP is the same as the IEP should be tailored to your child's needs. The IEP will not be carried out until you give your written permission to do so.
• You will meet with your child's IEP team at least once per year to review your child's progress and to update goals and objectives. However, you do not have to wait an entire year to meet with the IEP team if you want to meet sooner. You can request an IEP meeting at anytime.
• The IEP team will include the parents, the special education teacher, the general education teacher, a qualified district representative (usually the building principal) and any other individuals (such as a speech/language clinician or occupational therapist) providing services to your child.
• Your child will be re-evaluated for special education services every 3 years.

Parent Websites

www.hved.org - Hiawatha Valley Education District

www.education.state.mn.us - Minnesota Department of Education

www.pacer.org/ - Pacer is the Minnesota Parent Training and Information Center

Parent Resources

Parent Rights/Procedural Safeguards

PEM's Restrictive Procedures Plan