Recounts circumstances of Minnesota parents whose extreme neglect and abuse of their young children caused the state to terminate parental rights. Highlights profiles of parents and children using administrative data, and reviews mothers', fathers' and children's characteristics; permanency plans; and agency services provided. Offers guidelines to…

When parents divorce, they sometimes have questions about which parent has rights in special education. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Minnesota state special education laws and regulations clearly describe parental rights and the school district's duty to meet them. Most rights are unchanged by divorce. The…

The State Parental Leave Study, which was conducted by the Families and Work Institute, covered the states of Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. It was found that: (1) Implementation of state leave legislation was easy for the vast majority of employers; (2) The majority of employers did not report substantial costs resulting from the…

This booklet for Minnesota parents of children with disabilities provides an overview of special education services. Information is provided on: (1) the purpose of special education; (2) disabilities that are covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; (3) eligibility age; (4) types of special education and related services; (5)…

This booklet is intended to facilitate the full participation of Minnesota parents of children with disabilities in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. The booklet begins with a brief discussion of what an IEP is and why it is needed. The guide then presents a copy of Minnesota's IEP form, with the form sections on the left hand…

This booklet is designed to help Minnesota parents of young children with disabilities to find services to assist them and to help their children learn and grow. It begins by stressing the importance of parent advocacy for children with disabilities. Following sections address: (1) federal requirements for early intervention for children with…

This booklet is intended to facilitate the full participation of Minnesota parents of children with disabilities in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. The booklet begins with a brief discussion of what an IEP is, when IEPs must be in effect, IEP meetings, the IEP team, and parent participation. It next stresses the necessity of…

This booklet summarizes the rights and responsibilities of Minnesota parents of children with disabilities and offers guidelines on how best to advocate for their child. Introductory material briefly describes the Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights (PACER) Center and its programs. The booklet then summarizes federal court decisions,…