In May, the University of California Board of Regents voted to drop the SAT/ACT testing requirement for admissions. That policy goes into effect in 2023. However, in the meantime, the regents gave campuses the option of considering SAT and ACT tests as they...
Education Law
Multiple groups sue to block new campus sexual assault rules
The Education Department’s new rules for how schools should respond to allegations of sexual assault and harassment are slated to take effect next month. The issue is Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, which protects the rights of all students at...
Timelines for IEP reassessments, transfers, due process hearings
In our last post, we talked about the deadlines for getting your child assessed for an individualized education program (IEP). Here are some deadlines associated with reassessments, transfers from out of state during the school year, due process requests and due...
Timelines for individualized education program assessments
If your child has been referred for a special education assessment, there are certain deadlines that must be met. Here are some of the basic deadlines for activities affecting special education programs in California: Once your child has been referred for an...
What rights does the IDEA give parents?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, guarantees each child a free and appropriate public education that prepares them for employment, further education and independent living. This is guaranteed for children with disabilities between the ages of...
GASLIGHTING: AN IEP DILEMMA FOR MANY PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
According to Wikipedia, "gaslighting" refers to when a person or group attempts to sow seeds of doubt in an individual through denial, misdirection, contradiction, or misinformation. This office regularly fields calls from well-meaning parents all over California who...
Federal appeals court: American students have a right to literacy
Does the U.S. Constitution guarantee the right to a basic level of education? The document doesn't directly say so, but the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has recently ruled that it does guarantee the right to basic literacy. This is because literacy is fundamental to...
An update: IEPs and Section 504 changes affecting services
The has been and continues to track the almost daily changes to the laws protecting disabled children, special-education students, Regional Center consumers, and IHSS recipients. While the below is guidance and not intended as legal...
Does a diagnosis qualify my child for an IEP?
Recently, your child’s teacher notifies you that your child is not performing well in school. They seem uninterested in school completely and you are not sure what to do. Worrying that they might have a learning disability, you bring them to the doctor.After a...
Issues with school suspensions in rural California
It is important to allow every child the opportunity to complete their high-school education. Unfortunately, that cannot occur if schools prevent students from attending class.One California school is facing investigation by the California Bureau of Children’s...