It is bound to happen at some point. Whether your child is in public or private school; whether it relates to their IEP, evaluation, or class placement; at some point you will find yourself disagreeing with the District. How you handle these situations when they arise can have a major impact on your child's case going forward; therefore, it is important to do so carefully, in a way that preserves your child's rights. Never let your frustration inhibit your duty to cooperate You have a duty to work cooperatively with your child's school district, and not impede the District's process of providing your child with a free appropriate public education ("FAPE"). Cooperate does not mean agree, h
"I can't afford to pay for private school." I hear this all the time from parents, and it is understandable. Private special education schools and service programs cost tens of thousands (and sometimes) hundreds of thousand of dollars - to say nothing of attorneys fees and evaluations. The good news is the law protects families who cannot afford tuition and/or services upfront, and makes it clear that a family's inability to pay should not inhibit their child from receiving a Free Appropriate Public Education ("FAPE"). The law allows families to have their tuition and/or services "directly funded" by the district (this is also known as a "Connors"or prospective funding case). Meaning that
