Every child here in California and across the country deserves to receive the same educational opportunities. For children with special needs, this means utilizing individualized education programs that help achieve that goal. The trick is to make sure that IEPs align with the requirements of the common core state standards (CCSS), and the more parents know, the more likely they are to recognize whether their children are meeting those standards.
The CCSS outlines what every child should learn in each grade from kindergarten through his or her senior year. The standards are designed to help ensure that every student receives the preparation he or she needs to prepare for technical training, college, the workplace and life in general after high school. Obviously, meeting these standards could present a significant challenge to a child with a disability.
For this reason, it is vital that a child’s IEP complies with the requirements of the CCSS. Children with disabilities should receive the appropriate grade-level instruction and curriculum using accommodations, modifications and other available tools. The more parents know about what the CCSS requires for each grade level, the more likely it is they will be able to better advocate for their children during the IEP team meeting and throughout the school year.
The education a child — including one with special needs — receives during these formative years is crucial to their growth and success in life. California parents of special needs children can gain an understanding of what the CCSS requires and how it will affect their children’s individualized education programs by discussing the applicable laws with an attorney with experience in this area of law. Moreover, if parents discover that the school district is not providing for a child’s needs, consulting with an attorney regarding resolving those issues could prove useful.