As the new school year begins, Representative Lauren H. Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport) wants to inform parents of a new resource available to help smooth the development of individualized education plans (IEPs) or 504 student plans.
The Department of Education now offers free, impartial facilitators who can help prevent and resolve conflict during the IEP/504 meeting process. The facilitators are trained to help resolve conflicts and keep the meetings focused on creating a plan in the student’s best interest. Facilitation is a free service provided by the Rhode Island Department of Education’s Office of Student, Community, and Academic Supports.
The service, which began this spring, was the result of discussions that began in 2020 with virtual meetings held by Representative Carson and Rep. Terri Cortvriend (D-Dist. 72, Portsmouth, Middletown) for Aquidneck Island families of students with IEPs or 504s to discuss the challenges they faced in getting services for their children during the pandemic, but also in the past and likely in the future.
In response to their concerns, Representative Carson introduced legislation (2022-H 7536) to establish an ombuds office for special education, independent of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, to ensure school districts throughout the state meet the standards required to comply with individualized education programs for students with disabilities.
While the bill was not enacted, the discussions and hearings on it resulted in the Department of Education agreeing to provide a facilitation program instead.
“For as long as IEPs and 504s have been around, parents have been on their own if they don’t believe their child’s plan is meeting their needs, and some would have to hire lawyers at their own expense to advocate for them,” said Representative Carson. “This new facilitation resource will help prevent negotiations from reaching that point, at no cost to families or the school district. Having a trained professional moderating the process will ensure that the student’s needs remain front and center, and that parents won’t feel like they are all alone in a David-vs-Goliath situation when they have to advocate for their child.”
Facilitation is completely voluntary, and not a requirement for the IEP or 504 process. Requests for a facilitator may be initiated by the parent (or student if over 18) or the school district, and both parties must agree upon participation.
Representative Carson urged all parents and guardians of students with IEPs or 504 plans to investigate the program and decide whether it would benefit them. For more information or to request IEP/504 facilitation, visit ride.ri.gov/students-families/facilitated-iep504-meetings.