Rothstein, Laura and Johnson, Scott F. Special Education Law, 6th Edition. Sage Publications, Inc. 2020.  ISBN 13: 9781544388229

This course focuses on the specific court cases involved in special education identification, assessment, eligibility, and programming of students with a disability. This course will also encompass the area of 504, FERPA, and confidentiality.  Meets MEd Standard 1.  3 Credit Hours.

Upon successful completion of the course, each participant should be able to:

• understand the legal system and how the Constitution, statutes, regulations, judicial decisions, and administrative decisions and opinions apply to education for students with disabilities
• describe the interrelationship of state and federal law as applied to students with disabilities
• describe how the Constitution was applied through litigation to establish a new approach to educating students with disabilities
• understand the basic provision of the Rehabilitation Act and the American with Disabilities Act and their relationship to special education
• define the basic provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and No Child Left Behind
• know what remedies are available under the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act
• understand the role of parents, educators, related service providers, and advocates in relationship to a student with a disability
• describe the rights of parents
• know how the definition of disability will provide coverage for students under the Constitution, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act
• identify certain categories of disability where provision of educational programming is challenging to provide
• know the process for identifying student who might be eligible for special education services.
• know the statutory basis for the key principle of free appropriate public education
• understand the requirements of individualized education programs (IEP) under the IDEA
• know the statutory and regulatory provisions requiring placement in the least restrictive environment
• know the requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) related to placement in private schools
• be aware of the unique factors that affect students with disabilities at the secondary level
• know the key elements of due process requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA)
• understand the disciplinary measures that can affect a student with a disability
• review all case law in relation to a student with a disability