Click here to be directed to the full version of A Guide to Parent Rights booklet. This booklet is designed for parents of students with disabilities. The following is the introduction to the booklet starting on page 1.
"If you are a parent of a child who has a disability that interferes with his or her education, or if your child is suspected of having such a disability, this handbook will serve as a valuable resource for your child’s education.Whose IDEA Is This? boils down language of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) to main points that will help you be an effective partner in your child’s education. This guide has been prepared by the Ohio Department of Education’s Office for Exceptional Children (ODE/OEC).The following pages tell you how you can work with your local school district and other public agencies to determine whether your child has a disability. It also outlines steps for going on to determine whether that disability qualifies your child for special education and related services.Also referred to as your “procedural safeguards notice,” this publication establishes your right to a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) for a child with a qualifying disability under special education law. It tells you how special education services are provided and also lists resources you may contact for assistance.Because the rights and procedures contained in this guide were first outlined in federal law, you may see legal terms that are new to you. To make the information easier to understand and use, we have simplified this legal language wherever possible. Whatever legal terms continue to be used are fully explained in the section of the guide titled “Definitions” and throughout the text whenever possible. Even so, you might want to spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself with these terms before you begin. You’ll find them in the “Definitions” section that begins on page 56."
The 13 disability categories under IDEA: Click here to view the categories with a short description for each one from Understood.org Parent Notification of Scholarship Programs for Students with Disabilities
Your child may be eligible for a scholarship under the Autism Scholarship Program or the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program to attend a special education program that implements the child's individualized education program and that is operated by an alternative public provider or by a registered private provider.
Information on scholarship programs are available from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) web site at
www.education.ohio.gov. - For information on the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program, search Jon Peterson Scholarship Program or go to this link: Jon Peterson Scholorship
- For information on the Autism Scholarship Program, search Autism Scholarship or go to this link: Autism Scholarship
For additional information or questions on these scholarship programs, contact:
Office of Nonpublic Educational Options at (614) 466-5743 or Toll-free: (877) 644-6338