07/12/2020
Parents of students with disabilities are seeking guidance and advice about the coming school year in Georgia. Lipson Advocacy, Sandra Riggs, Advocate and Educational Consultant and the Law Ofc of Allison B. Vrolijk, Esq, Special Education Attorney want to offer families some language to communicate with public schools during the summer of 2020:
In response to school’s directive that parents make a choice between in-person and virtual instruction:
I am in receipt of the school district’s request that students make a choice for fall instruction between in person instruction and virtual instruction. My child has an IEP and the LEA has not provided enough information for me to make this decision. I would like to have an IEP meeting prior to the decision-making deadline to discuss the instructional options for my student.
Once in the IEP meeting, oppose any efforts to reduce IEP services and supports to your student, as well as any efforts to create a “distance learning plan” outside of the IEP. Make all attempts to preserve service time (particularly for OT/PT/Speech) and (if necessary due to the nature of the service) convert services into those which can be implemented virtually.
If the IEP offered is less services than what was provided by your IEP in early March 2020, read this statement at the end of the IEP meeting:
I do not believe the IEP offered today confers a FAPE upon my student. I do not waive any of my rights under IDEA, including but not limited to my child’s right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), my right to challenge the sufficiency of the provision of a FAPE, or my right to pursue compensatory services by accepting the services offered at this time.
Parents of students with disabilities are seeking guidance and advice about the coming school year in Georgia. Lipson Advocacy, Sandra Riggs, Advocate and Educational Consultant and the Law Ofc of Allison B. Vrolijk, Esq, Special Education Attorney want to offer families some language to communicate with public schools during the summer of 2020:
In response to school’s directive and deadline that parents make a choice between in-person and virtual instruction:
I am in receipt of the school district’s request that students make a choice for fall instruction between in person instruction and virtual instruction. My child has an IEP and the LEA has not provided enough information for me to make this decision. I would like to have an IEP meeting prior to the decision-making deadline to discuss the instructional options for my student.
Once in the IEP meeting, oppose any efforts to reduce IEP services and supports to your student, as well as any efforts to create a “distance learning plan” OUTSIDE of the IEP. Make all attempts to preserve service time (instructions/OT/PT/Speech) and (if necessary due to the nature of the service) convert services into those which can be implemented virtually.
If the IEP offered REDUCES services from the March 2020 IEP, read or send this statement:
I do not believe the IEP offered confers a FAPE upon my student. I do not waive any of my rights under IDEA or ADA, including but not limited to my child’s right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), my right to challenge the sufficiency of the provision of a FAPE, or my right to pursue compensatory services by accepting the services offered at this time.
