NCLD has created this Parent Guide to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) so you can become an informed and effective partner with school personnel in supporting your child's special learning and behavioral needs. We hope you will use this IDEA Parent Guide to understand:
How the federal law generally works in most states
What the law requires to determine whether your child has a learning disability
What is new to IDEA since Congress last updated the law in 2004
What questions you should ask and what information you should prepare in order to be a full and active advocate for your child
What resources are available to you.
In developing this IDEA Parent Guide, we have worked with parents of students with learning disabilities from around the country. NCLD is thankful to these parents for their invaluable input. Together, we have tried to address the questions, challenges and barriers parents face as they navigate their way through the special education process. Parents have also contributed their own personal stories so that you can hear firsthand that you are not alone in this journey.
Parent Perspective: Twenty Years Later Gloria from New Jersey describes what she learned after weaving her way through the special education maze. Click the play button at right to listen or read the transcript.
Note: The IDEA Parent Guide was created to provide a basic understanding of the key requirements of the federal law under IDEA. The information presented here is not legal advice and should not be used as a legal resource.
The IDEA 2004 Parent Guide is also available as a downloadable PDF. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the PDF. To get Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here. To download the IDEA 2004 Parent Guide, click here.
NCLD also has a guide explaining how you can become an effective advocate within your state, or at the national level. To learn how to lend your voice to advocacy efforts, take a look at NCLD's LD Advocate's Guide.
The 2004 update of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) made several significant changes to the Individualized Education Program (IEP), both in terms of who should participate and what should be included in this important process. Click here for "IDEA 2004 Close Up: The Individualized Education Program (IEP)."
Recent amendments to the federal special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 04), include several revisions to the requirements for transition planning designed to improve postsecondary results for students with disabilities. Read more on "Improving Transition Planning & Results."
About the Author: Candace Cortiella is Director of The Advocacy Institute (www.AdvocacyInstitute.org), a nonprofit focused on improving the lives of people with disabilities through public policy and other initiatives. She serves on the Professional Advisory Boards of the National Center for Learning Disabilities and Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities. The mother of a young adult with learning disabilities, she lives in the Washington, D.C., area.
NCLD's Parent Center is made possible by NCLD's Board of Directors and other committed parents and supporters.
Parent Center 
Parent Perspective: Twenty Years Later
