The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Authentic Family & Community Engagement." Contents include: (1) Recent…

This guide is designed to provide important resources and recommendations to support teacher implementation of digital learning. Digital learning is defined as "any instructional practice that effectively uses technology to strengthen a student's learning experience and encompasses a wide spectrum of tools and practices." This guide will…

Parents expect school districts and schools to keep their children safe while they are in school. That expectation of safety and security also extends to the protection of their children's learning data. Therefore, it is critical that school districts and schools are open and transparent about their student data privacy practices, and that those…

In response to the February 14, 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, President Donald Trump established the Federal Commission on School Safety to review safety practices and make meaningful and actionable recommendations of best practices to keep students safe. The Commission conducted field visits,…

Social studies and history teachers should be free to expose students to controversial ideas and to teach critical thinking skills. But are they free? Do they have the constitutional right--call it academic freedom--to teach what they want and to discuss controversial issues in the classroom? The short answer is "no." In this article,…

This tongue-in-cheek article gives examples of ways in which educators give lip service to such principles as recognizing the rights of parents and valuing parent contributions but actually still try to avoid significant parent impact on their own work with students. (DB)

This article describes Public Law 99-372, The Handicapped Children's Protection Act of 1986, which authorizes courts to award attorneys' fees to parents of children with handicaps who prevail in actions brought under Public Law 94-142. The article discusses Congressional intent, the law's provisions, and its impact on special education…

Considers what rights children should have in their education. Argues that international tribunals should consider whether children have the right to participate in decisions about the type of education they receive and what rights they have under international law if they disagree with their parents' choices. Describes the convention and urges…

"Specific Learning Disability" is by far the largest category of conditions served in special education. Unfortunately, few parents (and educators) really understand what learning disabilities are. Many erroneously believe it is a "politically correct" term for "mildly mentally retarded" or "dull normal." Further, while most laypeople have heard…

Traces development of idea of special rights for children. Describes United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child as change in view of children's rights as part of human rights. Includes innovations such as participation rights, rehabilitation for children suffering exploitation or cruelty, and articles on adoption and administration of…

This book explores parents' legal rights concerning their children's elementary and secondary education. Besides certain constitutional rights (including parents' right to direct their children's education), parents and students have been granted various rights under state and federal statutes. This book aims to demystify the law and provide…

This publication is intended to help teachers and others who would like to improve their parent-teacher conferencing skills. Initial sections of the discussion center on the need for effective parent-teacher conferencing and roadblocks to such conferencing. Historical foundations of parent-teacher conferences are then considered. Interpersonal…

This manual is intended to provide schools with guidance in complying with federal laws and regulations regarding record keeping and confidentiality in their services to students with disabilities. Part 1 focuses on requirements of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which ensures student/parent access to education records and…

Lesson plans, teaching materials, visual aids, and handouts for use in a workshop for child welfare workers on termination of parental rights are provided in this manual. The curriculum is designed to increase understanding of the legal system; knowledge of law, legal procedures, terms and concepts; and decision-making skills and skills needed for…

This manual is intended to help special education teachers in Montana with the Child Study Team (CST) process. It provides answers and examples for general questions regarding student evaluation and eligibility for special education services and for completing the CST report. The guide begins by answering common questions about the CST process,…