All Students Need Choice, and an IEP Really Student Need It

Every child has different required needs. The education program is set up to educate the children, unfortunately, not all children are properly educated. Children with special needs face an even greater hardship. These children should be given a FAPE (fair and appropriate public education), however, this is not always provided. Some schools are simply not equipped to provide this. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is meant to provide protection and entitlement to a public school education and services for children with disabilities. There are approximately 6.5 million children receiving services under IDEA. It is estimated that there are anywhere from 560,000 to over one million people with autism. According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, there are almost 131,000 students in Missouri suffering some sort of disability.

Not every child with a disability will have nor will require an IEP (Individualized Education Program). But some will need one to thrive in their schools. Every school that receives special education or related services must employ an IEP. The teachers, parents, administrators, and professionals will all help to make sure the child is getting the educational services they require. Some schools do not provide all the services needed, and the students may need to attend another school, at least part-time.

Missouri needs to make sure special needs students have choices available to them if their schools cannot give them what they need. Rural students have an especially difficult time because of the lack of available options. These students need some choices. Their future rests in the hands of the schools and we need to assure they have a chance at success.