MythBusters: Special Education
By Molly Jacobi
Special education is often misunderstood and stigmatized. Between unfamiliar terms like IEP, ICT, and LRE and conflicting advice from schools, other parents, and the internet, the process can be incredibly overwhelming. This confusion makes it hard to know what is actually true, which can sometimes delay students from getting the support they need to be successful in school. This post will break down common myths about special education to help you navigate the system and ensure that your child receives the most appropriate services for their unique needs.
Myth #1: Special education is only for learning disabilities.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law that ensures that students with disabilities are provided with a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), defines 13 disability categories. This includes autism, intellectual disability, speech and language impairment, vision impairment, hearing impairment, orthopedic impairment, traumatic brain injury, and more. There is even a category called Other Health Impairment that is typically used for medical or psychiatric diagnoses that impact a student’s educational performance, such as ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, epilepsy, and diabetes. As such, students may be eligible for special education due to a myriad of challenges that impact their ability to access the general education curriculum, not just learning disabilities.
Myth #2: Special education will hurt my child socially.
Many parents worry that special education means that their child will be placed in a separate classroom or face social ostracism. However, special education services provide support that students need to perform better academically and socially. This reduces frustration and improves confidence in the classroom, which leads to better emotion regulation. In turn, students are better able to make and maintain friendships. Additionally, students may receive special education services in small groups, which allows them to better connect with other students with similar experiences.
Myth #3: The school psychologist is in charge of the IEP.
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed and annually reviewed by the IEP team. IDEA mandates that this team is composed of the parents/guardians, a general education teacher, a special education teacher, a school district representative, an individual that can interpret the evaluation results, related service providers, and the student when appropriate. While the team is often spearheaded by the school psychologist, it is incredibly important for parents to recognize their role as members of the IEP team. Parents provide consent and can request changes, provide input, and advocate for supports to be added to their child’s IEP. Additionally, parents have a legal right to invite an educational advocate or attorney to any and all IEP meetings.
Myth #4: My child won’t have the same opportunities if they have an IEP.
One of the key principles of IDEA is that students with disabilities are educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). This means that they should be educated alongside students without disabilities as much as possible. In fact, many students with IEPs are educated in the general education classroom for the majority of the school day. This can look like push-in or pull-out services, small group instruction, integrated co-teaching, and other subtle supports. An IEP is meant to remove barriers, not lower expectations, so that students with disabilities can participate in the general education curriculum. This includes participating in the same lessons, extracurricular activities, and school experiences as their peers.
Myth #5: Accommodations give students an unfair advantage.
Accommodations like extra time, assistive technology, and modified instructions are often viewed as unfair advantages that give some students a leg up on their peers. However, accommodations are meant to level the playing field. They do not make the work easier or lower expectations, they make it possible for students with disabilities to access the curriculum so that they can receive an equitable education. In reality, accommodations aren’t like training wheels, they’re like glasses. They help students see clearly, they don’t do the work for them.
Myth #6: IEPs and 504 Plans are the same thing.
While IEPs and 504 Plans both regulate support for students with disabilities, they serve different purposes and provide different levels of support. As described above, IEPs provide specialized and individualized instruction for students with disabilities as mandated by IDEA, which sets very strict guidelines. On the other hand, 504 Plans are based on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in federally assisted programs, including schools. The purpose of a 504 Plan is to provide accommodations for students with disabilities that impact access to their learning, but it does not mandate specialized instruction. Though it is easy to confuse the two, it is important to understand the difference so that you can advocate for the tool that is most appropriate for your child. The key difference is that an IEP changes how a child learns, whereas a 504 Plan changes how they access the learning.
The Takeaway
Special education is a set of services that looks different for every student. It is not meant to label or limit students, but to help them by providing the most appropriate services. Understanding the ins and outs of special education is crucial for parents to ensure that children thrive in school.
