Find Help and More Information

There are a number of resources on the Internet with information for students with disabilities and their parents. (If you are the parent or the person who holds the educational decision-making rights for a foster child, your child’s dependency attorney can help you find resources to address a suspected disability.) First, make sure you read the Frequently Asked Questions on this site.

In addition, the following websites provide up-to-date information on special education rights and responsibilities:

Special education for children from birth through age 3:
Alliance for Children’s Rights

Special education and school discipline:
California Foster Youth Education Task Force (see Fact Sheet No. 10)

Federal and state laws: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S. Code § 1400 et seq.; federal regulations relating to the IDEA, 34Code of Federal Regulations § 300.1 et seq.; Cal. Educ. Code §§ 56000 et seq. (special education) and 48900 et seq. (school discipline); Cal. Gov. Code § 7579.5 (surrogate parents).