Advocacy, Incorporated Handout Materials
Education
UPDATED PARENT MANUAL NOW AVAILABLE
It's a New IDEA!
The Manual for Parents and Students About Special Education Services in Texas
The newly updated August 2007 version of our Parent Manual now available online on this website (English version) (Spanish version), as well as on the website of The Arc of Texas www.thearcoftexas.org . Anyone is welcome to download and reproduce the online version. Note that one of the online versions is in color; the other is in black and white.
The new manual incorporates changes in the IDEA made by Congress in 2004, the Federal regulations that went into effect in October 2006 and state law changes from the 2007 Texas legislative session. The Texas Education Agency will be issuing new rules that will go into effect Sept. 30, 2007. We have referenced the proposed rules in the manual and directed readers to the TEA web site, www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed for specific language of the rules and TEA Guidance documents .
Advocacy, Inc. Handouts
(updated to reflect changes in IDEA 2004 and its regulations).
ED1 "This is a new Idea" Parent Manual Order Form
ED1S “Es Una IDEA Nueva” – Spanish Translation of Parent Manual Order Form
ED2 “This is a New Idea” – (63 pgs – 8/07) Education Parent Manual
ED2S “Es Una IDEA Nueva” – (63 pgs – 8/07) Spanish Translation of ED2
ED11 Filing a Complaint with the Texas Education Agency – (14 pgs – 9/07) Instructions
Note: Additional handouts will be posted as they are available.
You can use the following links to get information on changes made to the IDEA in 2004 on several important topics. The content of these materials, produced by the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY), has been approved by the Office for Special Education Programs.
Evaluations and Re-Evaluations
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/tb-init-eval.docStatewide and Districtwide Assessments
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/tb-assessments.docTransition
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/transition.docIEPs
http://www.nichcy.org/resources/IEP1.aspIEP MEETINGS (ARD meetings in Texas)
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/iepteam.docMEDIATION AND RESOLUTION SESSIONS
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/2-procsafeguards.doc(Note to Parents: Resolutions sessions are a new requirement of IDEA 2004. If you are considering filing for a due process hearing, it is important that you read about resolution sessions.)
DUE PROCESS HEARINGS
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/3-procsafeguards.docDISCIPLINE
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/discipline.docFor information about the regulations for IDEA 2004, which went into effect 10/13/06, go to:
http://www.nichcy.org/resources/idea2004resources.asp
or
http://www.wrightslaw.com/#idea
To read about how the No Child Left Behind Act applies to students with disabilities, go to: http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/tb-nclb-align.doc
You can also check for update information on new IDEA requirements at the Texas Education Agency's website: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/