The DPI just released a bulletin updating agency policy on special needs students as a result of a US Supreme Court decision last year on what it means to provide a free appropriate public education to a special needs student.
The case, interestingly, was about a student who wanted to attend a private school and be reimbursed.
The DPI bulletin addresses the definition of a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and how the court-directed new understanding of FAPE affects the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is a federally funded program.
A student’s IEP is a foundational requirement to access the state-funded Wisconsin Special Needs Scholarship Program (SNSP).
The interaction between IDEA and SNSP can create confusion for both private schools and parents. The more you understand these programs correctly, the more impact SNSP will have on your students.
Related to this issue is another bulletin that the DPI released in January 2018, that addresses transportation for special needs students under IDEA. This is an update to the 2006 bulletin on transportation. Question 12 and beyond addresses students in private schools.
The subject of transportation is a constant source of tension between public school districts and special needs students trying to use private schools.
Principals who understand these issues will be better able to advocate for their students and navigate both the IDEA and the SNSP.
The bulletins each take about 15 minutes to read and are well worth the effort.
