Minnesota Parents Learn The Ropes of Individualized Education Program

(Adobe Stock via Minnesota News Connection)

(By Mike Moen. Minnesota News Connection) – With a new school year here, roughly 150,000 Minnesota K-12 students are receiving special education services.

Districts are mandated to craft learning plans for kids with disabilities but for parents, requests can sometimes involve a maze of phone calls, documents and meetings. State data show growth in families asking for support, like Individualized Education Programs.

The demand comes amid greater awareness of neurological disorders, including autism. Advocates said after a diagnosis, parents encounter a process where school staff want to ensure the child’s needs meet certain criteria before an IEP is put in place.

Beth James, parent trainer and advocate for the PACER Center, assists families. “That line is not super clear and that’s what makes it really difficult because it’s so highly individualized,” James explained. “However, a student does have to demonstrate educational need in order to be eligible for those special education services.”