Why Child Advocacy?
Special Education Advocate Helping North Carolina Families
Federal law mandates that every student will receive a free, appropriate, public education in the least restrictive environment. Understanding the difficult maze of the rules and regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is often confusing and frustrating for parents, creating a lack of trust between parents and schools. This loss-of-trust barrier results in adversarial relationships and impedes the goal of obtaining the necessary special education services and 504 accommodations to which students have a right. A qualified special education advocate can ensure your child's rights.
IDEA and Section 504 Special Education Advocacy Services
Two federal laws protect children's right to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment: the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (504 Plan). IDEA is a special education provision which requires that a child be evaluated and receive a special education label in order to receive services and if the child qualifies then they then receive and Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). Sometimes the school requests the evaluation but the parents can also request it. Children who do not qualify for IDEA, or families who do not wish to have their child go through the special education classification process (or their school is not recommending this), may be eligible for services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a civil rights statute that protects the rights of children with disabilities from discrimination and makes provisions for reasonable accommodations.
An integrated approach using positive interactions, collaboration and information sharing between parents and schools, with parents as equal participating members of the Team, is the most efficient way of assuring that students receive the Individual Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan to which they are entitled. A knowledgeable, well informed parent is a child’s best advocate. Operating under the philosophy of THE CHILD FIRST, we facilitate communications between school and home as well as assist parents in negotiating the school district’s policies and procedures as well as understanding their students’ strengths and needs in order to obtain the most appropriate educational program.
Mission Statement:
To provide resources and support for parents in the Raleigh/Triangle area and to advocate for their educationally disabled students for their right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) under the IDEA 2004 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.