Asserting Your Child's Rights Through Letter Writing and Submission of Forms

One of the tools that you can use to assert your child's rights to a special education is to write your school requesting assessments and services, and to educate the school personnel as to your legal rights. The form letters provided in this chapter will make this task much easier for you.

These letters are copyrighted. You are given special rights and consent to copy them only for your own personal use transmitting them to your school, local educational agency, or state or federal government agency.
Copyright © David A. Sherman 2006.

Assessments

1. Request for an Assessment
2. Request for an Assessment for Autism
3. Request for an Assessment for a Young Child with Autism
4. Request for an Assessment for a Particular Related Service
5. Letter Requesting Information as to the Education, Training and Experience of Assessor Who Will be Assessing Your Child
6. Letter Requesting the Education, Training, and Experience of the Person Who Will Be Assessing Your Child for a Particular Service or Area
7. Letter Requesting Parent Input in Assessment
8. Request for Independent Educational Evaluation
9. Request for Copy of Assessment Prior to IEP
10. Request for Assessment Protocols
11. Request for Explanation of Test Protocols
12. Follow-up Request for Explanation of Test Protocols
13. Memo from Rooker, Protocols, Dept. of Education

Request for School Records and other Documents

14. Request for Types and Locations of School Records
15. Request for Copy of School Records
16. Request for Change in School Records
17. Request for Information under No Child Left Behind Act (Personnel Qualifications)
18. Request for Records under the State Freedom of Information Act (Sample letter is under California state law)
19. Request for Documents Showing Personnel Development Plan, Staffing Plan under Federal Law

IEP's

20. Request for an IEP
21. Requesting Sufficient Time to Address Matters in an IEP
22. Request to Participate in IEP Meeting via Telephone Conference with Legal Authority
23. Request to Change Date of IEP
24. Letter Requesting Copy of Assessment Prior to IEP with Legal Authority
25. Parent Attachment to IEP
26. Letter Transmitting Parent Attachment to School with Legal Authority
27. Request that Statement of Methodology be Included in IEP with Legal Authority
28. Letter Request for Information as the Qualifications of a Teacher or Provider who will be Implementing the Program Offered in the IEP Meeting
29. Letter 29 An Alternative Letter Requesting Information as to the Qualifications of a Teacher or Service Provider who will be Implementing the Program Offered in the IEP
30. Request for Documentation of Research Supporting Methodology Chosen by the School District for Educating Your Child - with Legal Authority
31. Letter of Revocation of Consent to All or Part of IEP

Response to Offer of Placement or Services

32. Response to Offer of Placement - Parent Attachment to IEP (or you can cut and paste the text into a letter to the school.)
33. Request for Observation of Placement by Parent's Expert
34. Request for Permission to Have Expert Observe Child in Classroom and Other Areas at School
35. Ten Day Notice of Parent's Intention to Unilaterally Place Student in a Private Placement and Seek Reimbursement
36. Request for Qualified Teacher (or Aide or Service Provider) for Child with Autism
37. Request for Support - Training of Teachers, Aides and/or Other Personnel (training in autism, Asperger's, behavioral, naturalistic learning, PECs and or other areas)
38. Letter Requesting Times, Place and Information Regarding Offered Services
39. Letter Request for Qualifications of a Teacher or Service Provider, Where the Service will be Provided, Times, Days and Number of Children in Class (This request may also be put in a Parent Attachment.)

Due Process

39. Request for Due Process
40. Letter to Special Ed Attorney and Information Form
41. Letter Requesting Mediation and Due Process

Extended School Year and Stay Put

43. Letter Demanding that IEP Program not be Changed Pursuant the "Stay Put" Doctrine
44. Letter Requesting Extended School Year Services for Young Child
45. Letter Requesting Extended School Year
46. Letter Requesting Qualifications of Extended School Year Personnel
47. Letter Requesting an Assessment Before and After Summer Break
48. Requesting Qualified Teacher (or Aide or Service Provider) for ESY
49. Letter to School Regarding Transitional Services

Miscellaneous

50. Complaint to Office of Civil Rights
51. Complaint to State Department of Education
52. Online Office of Civil Rights Complaint Form
53. Letter to School of Notification that Consent to Graduate is not Given
54. Letter Regarding Discrimination
55. Request that No Physical Restraints be Used on Child
56. Consent to Use Attached Authorizations with Restrictions
57. Request that Data Collection System be Implemented
58. Confirming Letter
59. Follow up letter when School Does Not Respond to Previous Letter
60. Letter of Dissent
61. Thank you letter
62. Letter Expressing Gratitude