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Special Education Support

Get personalized support and resources to actively navigate your child’s special education journey with confidence.

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Your Guide to Special Education Support

Navigating the special education system can feel overwhelming when parenting a child with a disability. We are here to provide the support and information you need to participate actively in your child’s educational journey. Our Family Support Consultants understand the challenges—we support families with children who have all types of disabilities, including physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional. Special education means specially-designed instruction tailored to your child’s unique needs, ensuring they can access the general curriculum. This is based on federal law (IDEA), which strongly emphasizes your right to be an equal member of the team that evaluates your child, determines their eligibility, and develops their Individualized Education Program (IEP). We can help you understand your rights and respond to your concerns over the phone, via email, or in person.

What to Expect

  • Provides support and information to help parents actively participate in their child’s special education journey.
  • The program emphasizes parents’ rights under federal law (IDEA) to be equal members of the team for evaluation, eligibility, and developing the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
  • Family Support Consultants assist families of children with all types of disabilities, including physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional.
  • Assistance is available to help parents understand their rights and address concerns via phone, email, or in person.
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Related Resources

Related Links

Browse these related third-party sites for more information, tools, and guidance you can use right away.

IEP Resources

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) consists of a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with Vermont Special Education Rules. Explore these resources below for more information on IEPs.

How to Navigate Special Education

Watch our series of short Navigating Special Education webinars.

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    FAQs

    You can request an initial special education evaluation from the school to determine if your child is eligible to receive special education services, which are specially-designed instruction that cannot be provided within the school’s regular instruction.

    An IEP, also known as “special education,” provides individualized special education and related services to meet a child’s unique needs.  A Section 504 Plan provides access through services and accommodations to the learning environment so children can learn alongside their non-disabled peers.

    A student on an IEP may stay in school until their 22nd birthday if the extra time is necessary for the student to work on transition-to- adulthood goals. All students on IEPs must have a transition plan in their IEP by age 16, but transition planning may start as early as age 14, especially for students who have more intensive needs . Our Transition Toolkit for Youth with Disabilities contains many useful resources.

    No. If you enrolled your child in an independent school, private school or a home study program, they are not entitled to an IEP. The public school in which the private school, independent school or home study program is located may choose to provide services to a child, but does not have to.

    Our Family Support Consultants are extremely limited in their ability to offer in-person support at school meetings. While we are able to provide some virtual/telephone support at school meetings, our ultimate aim is to empower parents, through education and support, to become effective advocates for their children. Read our Family Support Program -Technical Assistance and In-Person Support and Advocacy.

    If your child’s behavior impedes their learning or that of others, the IEP Team, of which the parent is a member, must consider in the IEP – the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies, to address that behavior to help your child remain in school.

    If a student with a disability (or a suspected disability) is truant, the school district must conduct social/emotional assessments and a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) in order to determine the reason behind the truant behavior. The results of these assessments should be used to develop an appropriate positive behavior support plan to address the truant behavior.

    Ask for an IEP meeting. Document your concerns and communicate with the IEP team. If the differences cannot be resolved, you may request mediation or file a due process complaint

    Document your concerns, communicate with the school and ask for an IEP meeting. If the school does not adequately respond to your concerns and the IEP continues not to be followed, you may file an administrative complaint or a due process complaint.

    IDEA states that annual IEP goals must be measurable and linked to your child’s present levels of performance, as well as to Vermont’s academic content standards.
    At the IEP team meeting, ask:

    • How will my child’s progress be measured?
    • When will my child’s progress be measured?
    • How well will my child need to perform in order to achieve their stated IEP goals?

    If your child is not making meaningful progress, work with your child’s IEP team to determine why. An IEP is a living document that can and should be changed if it does not meet your child’s needs. The Endrew F. advocacy toolkit contains useful tips on setting high standards for your child on an IEP.

    No. Hiring decisions do not fall within the purview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Parents do not have the right to select a specific teacher or paraprofessional.

    Jessica Thompson

    Burlington, Vermont

    • VFN has been a game changer for my family!

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