Learn the words

A BIP is a written plan with strategies and supports to help a child with behavior.

A disciplinary change of placement can happen when a child is removed for more than 10 school days in a row, or when a series of shorter removals forms a pat…

Child Find is the duty of states and schools to find, identify, and evaluate children who may have disabilities and need special education.

Compensatory services are named in federal and Virginia complaint rules as one possible corrective action when a state complaint finds a failure to provide a…

Consent means a parent has been fully informed, agrees in writing, and understands that agreeing is voluntary.

Dispute resolution options are the formal ways parents and schools can work out disagreements about special education.

A due process hearing is a hearing in front of an impartial hearing officer to resolve a disagreement about a child's identification, evaluation, placement,…

Under federal privacy rules, education records are records directly related to your child that the school keeps, in any form, including handwriting, computer…

Eligibility is the decision about whether a child has a disability under IDEA and needs special education because of it.

An evaluation is a set of tests, observations, and information-gathering used to decide whether a child has a disability and what special education and relat…

FAPE means special education and related services that are provided at no cost to the family, meet state standards, and follow the child's IEP.

An FBA is a process for understanding why a behavior happens, such as its underlying causes and what purpose it serves for the child.

An IEP is a written plan for a child who qualifies for special education.

An IEP meeting is a meeting of the IEP team, which includes the parents, to develop, review or revise a child's IEP.

The IEP team reviews a child's IEP at least once a year to see whether the annual goals are being met, and revises it as needed, including when a child is no…

The IEP team is the group the school must include for each child's IEP.

An IEE is an evaluation done by a qualified person who does not work for the school.

An IAES is a temporary different setting where a child with a disability may be placed for certain serious incidents, such as weapons, drugs, or serious bodi…

A manifestation determination is a review the school, parent, and relevant IEP team members hold within 10 school days after a decision to change a child's p…

A measurable annual goal is a skill target in the IEP that the child is expected to work toward over a year.

Mediation is a voluntary meeting where a neutral, trained mediator helps parents and the school try to reach an agreement.

Parents have the right to take part in IEP meetings.

Prior written notice is a written explanation the school gives parents before it proposes or refuses to start or change a child's identification, evaluation,…

Procedural safeguards are the legal rights parents and children have under IDEA.

A progress report tells parents how their child is doing on IEP goals.

In Virginia, special education rules say the school division must allow parents to audio record certain formal meetings: meetings about eligibility, meetings…

A reevaluation is a new evaluation for a child with a disability.

Related services are supports a child needs to benefit from special education, such as speech-language therapy, occupational or physical therapy, counseling,…

Section 504 is a federal civil rights law that protects students with disabilities in schools that receive federal funds.

A short-term removal is when school staff remove a child with a disability from the current placement for a short time for breaking a code of conduct.

A state complaint is a signed, written complaint to the state education agency saying a school or public agency did not follow a special education requirement.

Supplementary aids and services are supports provided in regular education classes, other education-related settings, and extracurricular and nonacademic set…