Federal law gives parents of special education students several rights including the right to participate in meetings to set up an individualized education program (IEP). Parents and other family members (generally those who hold guardian status) can request that the school also evaluate children for possible special needs. Most schools are good about arranging for these evaluations and plan conferences quickly, but there are some that are reluctant to take any steps.

If you're the parent of a child with special educational needs, do not let schools give you the runaround. Granted, there may be some that are struggling with budget issues and that are trying to find resources for the evaluation or plan, so the school is taking longer but still trying. But if you feel like that's not the case and you're just being brushed off, it's time to go legal. If you delay, that will only make the situation worse.

Reduced Learning Opportunities

It's simple: If your child has special needs that aren't being met, he or she could end up missing out on learning because the resources needed to bridge the lessons and your child's learning style haven't been met. That increases the amount of work your child may have to do to catch up. Remember, special needs do not mean that your child can't learn or will never learn. They just mean that your child needs accommodations to compensate for how the special needs affect how the child learns.

Potential Increase in Bullying

Unfortunately, many children with undiagnosed special needs are treated as stupid by classmates (and some teachers, regretfully). While it's necessary to combat the bullying at the basic level, it's also essential to get the child evaluated and into an appropriate education program to combat the effects of the bullying. It is easier for the child to get through school knowing for a fact that the bullies are wrong (because everyone else knows the child is smart, because the child is now doing well in school, and so on) than it is for the child to just vaguely hang on until graduation and freedom.

Your actions will help your child, but they will also pave a path for other children to get the educational assistance they need at that school. Talk to a special education lawyer, such as at Law Office of Mark W Voigt, now so that, should the school delay or refuse to test or help your child, you can get everything back on track quickly.

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