Information about Special Education for Culturally Diverse Families

BY KARTIK MITHAL, Co-President &

JESSICA BRASWELL, Vice President of Parent Education

Issaquah Special Education PTSA

hello@issaquahspecialeducationptsa.org

If you are new to school in the U.S., you may not know about Special Education. This article has basic information that you can use to help your child. It describes Special Education in the U.S., the Special Services Department in the Issaquah School District, and the Issaquah Special Education PTSA.

What is Special Education?

In the U.S., we recognize that each child is different, and some children need “specially designed instruction” (SDI) or “accommodations.” For a child with a disability, schools might meet specific needs at no cost to the parents. These can include:

• Speech-language Services

• Occupational Therapy

• Physical Therapy

• and other related services the child may need.

As an example, a student who has difficulty walking can be allowed to use a wheelchair. Their seat in a classroom might be placed to make it easy to get in and out of that wheelchair. Or if a child has been diagnosed with a neurodivergent disorder (e.g., autism, dyslexia, ADHD, etc.), they may be provided services to help them be as successful as their peers. Many special needs that would not be considered disabilities in other countries qualify students for special services in the U.S.

There are laws in the U.S. at both the federal level (nationwide) and at the state level (Washington State) that require every student to be provided access to public school and given support to learn equally with their peers. There are two laws at the U.S. federal level, IDEA and Section 504. In Washington State, the law is WAC 392-172A-01035. The State Education Ombuds has information on their website.

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) is a law that gives all children the right to a “Free and Appropriate Public Education” (FAPE). This includes:

• An evaluation paid for by the school

• Services to support their learning needs from ages 3-21

• An education in the “Least Restrictive Environment” (LRE). The school must provide the support to enable a student to learn in a regular classroom as much as possible.

Some parents worry that if their student qualifies for special education or receives a diagnosis of a neurodivergent disorder, they will be “labeled” for the rest of their life, which may impact their future, including applying to college or getting a job. This is not correct because it would be discrimination and is against the law in the U.S.. Having a diagnosis will help your student by making it easier to get insurance to cover private services and therapies, help with applying for Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) state funding, and help your school design an individual plan or individual accommodations.

IEP vs. 504 plans

An IEP (Individual Education Plan) is often special instruction or services that a student needs to succeed at school. The word “individualized” is very important. The plan should be written with each student’s specific needs in mind so that they can be as successful as their peers. The IEP will be developed in an IEP meeting with a collaborative team that can include the student’s family, the student themselves (if old enough to participate), Special Education Services staff, teachers, and support staff.

The family should ask for an interpreter if needed, and the school will provide one. The family may also include in their IEP meetings any other representative they choose, such as an IEP advocate, medical staff, or a legal representative. Always be courteous of the IEP team and notify them who you will bring to the IEP meeting.

A 504 plan describes accommodations that will help the student succeed in the classroom but without changing the curriculum itself. Accommodations are often small changes that might include sitting up front near the teacher, taking frequent breaks, or receiving extra time on tests. Again, accommodation does not change the curriculum that the student receives.

A 504 plan is chosen when a student is determined to have a disability or if he or she has a physical or cognitive impairment. This impairment or disability must substantially limit one or more major life activities. These activities include things such as walking, seeing, or hearing.

It is valuable for the student's family to educate themselves on the student’s rights and common district practices before attending Special Education meetings for the child. https://www.isd411.org/about-us/regulations/2000-series/2161/2161p is a resource for that.

Special Services Department

The Special Services Department in the Issaquah School district helps students who need special education services, e.g., for an IEP or a 504. There are three departments in the Special Services Department: ECE (Early Childhood Education), Elementary Education, and Secondary Education. In addition, another department provides services for students who have a 504. The reason for the two departments is that the laws for IEPs and 504s are different.

ECE

ECE, or “Early Childhood Education,” is a state-funded early learning program (preschool). It is for children, starting at age 3 and up to 5 years of age, that have or are suspected to have developmental delays or learning difficulties that are outside the average from children of the same age. If your child is already receiving any therapy services, e.g., speech therapy, then your therapy service can help you get in contact with the Issaquah School District.

ECE classrooms are currently located at Briarwood Elementary, Discovery Elementary, and Holly Street Early Learning Center. Students with a variety of special needs are served within the ECE classroom setting, along with students who participate in the program as Community Peers.

If your student is transitioning from ECE to elementary school with an IEP or 504 plan that has already been developed, you will have a meeting at the end of your student's Pre-K year to discuss and update the IEP for their Kindergarten year. There is an ISD ECE Family Facebook Group that can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/209596650846331, where you can connect with other ECE families.

Case Manager

When a student receives special services, they will be assigned a case manager. The case manager will be your main contact for questions about how the student is doing.

Primary Education (Elementary School)

When your student enters elementary school (grades Kindergarten-5th grade), you will work with the case manager and the student’s classroom teacher on how they get special services. Remember that no matter what type of support or accommodations your student needs, they are always a General Education student first and a Special Education Student second. Students thrive when given the Least Restrictive Educational Environment (LRE) in a regular (general education) classroom.

Secondary Education (Middle and High School)

When your student enters middle school and high school, they go from a single classroom teacher to multiple teachers, one for each subject. This changes how the IEP is managed. The role of the case manager becomes much more important.

Students will have a transition meeting from elementary school to middle school, then again from middle school to high school. In the transition meetings, the team from the old school will communicate with the team from the new school about the child’s IEP or 504 plans. Students will also have a meeting where plans are made for them after they leave school.

Issaquah Special Education PTSA

The Issaquah Special Education PTSA (the PTSA) is a districtwide PTSA that covers all the schools in the Issaquah School District. It has built a community to support and empower families and advocate for students with disabilities in the Issaquah School District. It works closely with the Special Services Department.

The PTSA serves all students with disabilities or suspected disabilities in the Issaquah School District boundary, including homeschool and private schools. Information is available on its website, Facebook, Instagram, and the ISD 411 newsletter.

The PTSA holds two monthly meetings for families called “Parent Power Hour” (PPH), one during the day and one in the evening. Please come to the PPHs to ask questions, listen to other parents, learn, and get support. In addition to these monthly meetings, the PTSA has three membership meetings. The PTSA also attends the membership meetings of other PTSA to provide information about Special Education. Contact us at hello@issaquahspecialeducationptsa.org for any special education-related questions.