Tremendous changes have occurred over the past decade in the provision of services to students with disabilities. Federal mandates continue to define requirements for a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment. Additionally, there has been an increase in the number of lawsuits filed against school districts regarding the provision of educational services for students with disabilities. Case studies are a helpful way to understand these difficult issues. The case studies presented here are actual students eligible for special education and related services. The case studies are represented not to tell districts and parents that this is the only way questions about special education law can be answered, but to provide likely answers along with commentary for analysis. The cases were developed to help new (and experienced) special education leaders and supervisors survive the pressures of working with students with disabilities while working to provide appropriate services and prevent litigation.

This text is designed to provide students with real-life case studies that address important issues within the IDEA and NCLB legislations. Students will see both best practice and less than best practice when they read the cases. It is specifically designed for graduate students who are taking a course in special education law and/or administration. Case Studies in Special Education Law is intended to provide supplemental instruction using real-life cases while studying the law.

Special education law and practice have undergone profound transformation over the past 50 years. Students with disabilities are now more likely to receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible; however, the ideals of the law have not always been manifested in effective practice. Although special education services are vastly better today than they were in the early years of public education, current policies and practices continue to result in the under-education of many children with disabilities. This book illustrates key failures of the system within the context of real children’s experiences. The case study approach gives voice to the students, families, and educators who have been let down by the special education process. The goal is to shed light on the flaws and injustices of the status quo. After identifying these problems, the authors offer sound solutions. Section 1 is devoted to issues surrounding identification of students with learning disabilities. These topics include occurrence of inconsistencies in assessment and diagnoses, understanding the struggles of the “slow learner,” and the interference of behavioral challenges with students’ educational performance. Section 2 addresses problems within the evaluation process that negatively influence diagnoses. Discussions include disproportionate representation of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds as well as students of color and bilingual students. Section 3 highlights significant concerns with service provision within the special education realm. The narratives throughout the book present stories of children on the receiving end of a severely fractured special education system. Recommendations focus on solving specific problems, such as inconsistent identification processes and categories, disproportionate representation, ill-conceived IEPs, ineffective specially designed instruction, and poorly implemented RTI programs. The book’s methodological approach affirms that there is much room for reform within both the special education system and the public education system as a whole. This book will be an excellent resource for graduate-level students, practitioners, and teachers in the fields of special education, disability studies, early intervention, school psychology, and child and family services. Additionally, it will be of interest to social workers, counselors, and researchers.

In increasing numbers, general education teachers are faced with the task of educating students with disabilities in their classrooms, and many beginning teachers are not prepared for the diverse classroom that awaits them. The cases in this book are written from the viewpoint of general education teachers, with the goal of providing them with the information and tools to improve their ability to approach this task with confidence. As participants process the cases in this book, they will learn to collect and evaluate data, identify important concepts, apply legal requirements, develop hypotheses, and create or defend arguments. Through introductory materials included in each chapter, the major provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are outlined in easy and understandable terms and illuminated through the cases presented. Discussion questions, links to websites, and suggested activities are included in each chapter.

The lives of students with disabilities need to be told in ways that inform preservice teachers about the work involved to legally and morally meet the needs of these students. Hearing the positive and negative experiences of students with disabilities from elementary through college can inform preservice teachers as well as potentially prevent them from repeating some of the same mistakes. The richness of the personal stories of these students and how their experiences can shape the future for students like them offers teachable moments for professors and preservice teachers to use in classrooms. Advising Preservice Teachers Through Narratives From Students With Disabilities heralds the stories of students with disabilities as they trace their journey from the PK-12 setting into university and adult life and addresses aspects that any new teacher must know in order to meet the needs of today's PK-12 classrooms. Covering topics such as social justice, virtual learning, and faculty convenience, it is ideal for preservice teachers, practicing teachers, administrators, professors, researchers, academicians, and students.

For every course in Special Education Law and Education Law, or as a perfect supplement to any Educational Administration course, Legal Aspects of Special Education was written by a practitioner to help teachers, administrators, and advocates understand special education law in everyday language- without excessive legalese or extraneous case law. Different in many ways from other special education law texts on the market, all of the elements of this text are intended to help its students obtain the most critical information about special education law and how it is applied in the real world. Some unique features include: a fascinating opening interview and then epilogue with Joe Ballard, a pioneer of the IDEA movement; a discussion of Response-to-Intervention (RTI) and the implication of IDEA 2004 for school districts; and a discussion of the history of special education and its link to the Civil Rights Movement. Additionally, the book provides case studies and application questions, critical thinking questions, the most current information on the laws including No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004, and a discussion of major trends changing the laws, including that of autism.

Special Education Law, Sixth Edition, written by Laura Rothstein and Scott F. Johnson, provides a comprehensive and current overview of the major federal law, and judicial interpretations of those laws, that apply to special education students. School administrators and attorneys attend to special education issues on a regular basis, and local superintendents, principals, special education professionals, psychologists, and regional and state administrators must also be familiar with the legal requirements of educating students with disabilities. Classroom teachers in all types of classrooms need to be aware of the laws that affect them and their students. Special Education Law 6e is intended for students in education and educational administration, both graduate and undergraduate, as well as law students in courses on special education law, school law, and special education. The framework of this book begins with five introductory chapters on the major issues that are addressed in special education law. These topics include an overview the legal system, the history of special education, major statutes in special education law, stakeholders such as students, families, educators, and advocates, and finally, requirements for protection under various special education laws. The remainder of the text presents and analyzes special education case law within specific contexts. The text helps educators understand what the law requires so that they can make decisions that comply with these laws. Updates for the sixth edition include a major reorganization of the text. Chapters have been streamlined and edited for clarity, combining a previous chapter on Related Services with Free Appropriate Publication Education, and folding Eligibility into Identification, Evaluation, and Eligibility, so students can better see the connections between these topics. Many case excerpts have been shortened or summarized to provide students with a more straightforward and focused reading experience. The latest updates in statutes, regulations, and case law are included throughout the text.