EI Early | Intervention |
EMH | Educable mentally handicapped |
EMR | Educable mentally retarded |
Environmental Accommodations | Changes that are made to adapt the learning., environment of the classroom so that each child can participate successfully. |
EPSDT | Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment |
ERIC | Educational resources information center |
ESA | Educational service agency |
ESD | Extended school day |
ESEA | The Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This law contains several federal programs designed to address the needs of disadvantaged students. The largest, Title 1 (formerly Chapter 1), is an $8 billion program designed to ensure that students in high poverty schools meet high standards. The law was amended in 1994 to strengthen provisions around high state standards for all students, accountability for schools and districts that continually under perform, and strong parental involvement and quality program requirements for schools and districts receiving Title 1 funds. The law is currently in the process of being reauthorized |
ESL | English as a Second Language |
ESY or EYS | Extended School Year or Extended Year Services |
Evaluation | Procedures used to determine whether your child has a disability and the nature and extent of special education and related services necessary. |
Extended School Year (ESY) | Special education and related services that are provided to a student in accordance with the student's individualized education program (IEP); beyond the normal school year; and/or school day and at no cost to parents. The determination of the need for ESY services to a student is determined by the PPT on an individual basis. |
Extended School Year Services (ESY) | Special education and related services that are provided outside the normal school year. |
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) | A federal law, enacted in 1984, that gives all parents of students under 18 or students over the age of 18 or attending post-secondary schools, the right to see, correct and control access to student records. |
FAPE | Free and Appropriate Public Education |
FAS | Fetal alcohol syndrome |
FBA | Functional behavioral assessment |
FC | Facilitated communication |
FEOG | Full educational opportunity goal |
FERPA | Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Legislation giving parents the right to inspect and review their child’s educational records, to amend errors or inaccuracies in those records, and to consent to disclosure of records |
FERPA | Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act |
FFCMH | Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health |
FOIA | Freedom of Information Act . Enacted in 1966, this law entitles any person to the right to request access to federal agency records or information. There are some exemptions and exclusions that apply. Nearly all state governments have FOIA-type statutes that apply to state and local public agencies. |
FOIA | Freedom of Information Act |
FRC | Federal resource center |
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) | Special education and related services that are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge; meet state and federal requirements, include preschool, elementary school, or secondary school education; and are provided according to an IEP. |
Functional Behavior Assessment ( FBA ) | A FBA is an assessment that looks at why a child behaves the way he or she does, given the nature of the child and what is happening in the environment. It is a process for collecting data to determine the possible causes of problem behaviors and to identify strategies to address the behaviors. |
IAES | Interim alternative educational setting |
ICC | Interagency coordinating council |
IDEA | Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (formerly EHA). This law states that children with disabilities have the right to a free appropriate public education, including procedural protections and the right to an education that is standards based. The latest amendments to this special education law were passed in 1997. |
Identification | The decision that a child is eligible for special education. Individualized Education Program (IEP) A written education program for a child with a disability that is developed by a team of professionals (administrators, teachers, therapists, etc.) And the child's parents; it is reviewed and updated at least yearly and describes the child's present performance, what the child's learning needs are, what services the child will need, when and for how long, and identifies who will provide the services. |
IEE | Independent educational evaluation |
IEP | Individualized education program |
IFSP | Individualized family service plan |
IHE | Institution of Higher Education |
ILC | Independent living center |
Inclusion | The practice of providing a child with disabilities with his or her education within the general education classroom, with the supports and accommodations needed by that student. This inclusion typically takes place at the student's neighborhood school. |
Independent Educational Evaluation | An evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the school district responsible for the education of your child. |
Individualized Education Program (IEP) | Written education program for a child with disabilities according to the guidelines of IDEA. The plan must be developed by a team which includes the parents or guardian. |
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) | Federal Law dealing with the process of providing children with disabilities with a free, appropriate, public education. Same as EHA. |
Integration | Used a variety of ways within the literature, may mean either inclusion or mainstreaming, as defined herein. The context of the discussion determines its meaning. |
Interpreter | Person who interprets or translates communication in a way, that is most familiar to a person who is hearing disabled. |
LD | Learning disability |
LEA | Local education agency |
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) | To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated. With children who are non-disabled;. And that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that regular education-in-regular -classes with. The use of supplementary aids and services. Cannot be achieved satisfactorily. |
LEP | Limited English proficiency |
LRE | Least restrictive environment |
MA | Mental age |
Mainstream | The general education setting, where students without disabilities receive their education. |
Mainstreaming | The practice of providing, a student with disabilities with some of his or her education in a general education classroom. Mainstreaming is not particularly synonymous with inclusion or may be called partial inclusion. The word implies that the student with disabilities receives a part (often the majority) of his or her education in a separate, self-contained special education classroom. |
Manifestation Determination | The process for reviewing whether there is a relationship between your child's disability and the behavior that is subject to the disciplinary action. |
MD | Muscular dystrophy |
MD or MH | Multiple Disabilities or Multiply Handicapped |
MDA | Muscular dystrophy association |
MMR | Mildly mentally retarded |
Mod MR | Moderately mentally retarded |
Modifications/Adaptations | Changes made to curriculum expectations in order to meet the needs of the student. Modifications are made when the grade level or age appropriate expectations are beyond the student's level of ability. Modifications may be minimal or very complex depending on the student performance. Modifications must be clearly acknowledged in the IEP. |
MR | Mental retardation |
Multi-factored Evaluation (MFE) | Process of using more than one test or evaluation procedure to determine, the- child's level of functioning in academics and behavioral performance, motor and language skills, vision, hearing, social and emotional status and general intelligence. The procedure should be conducted by more than one person. |
NAEYC | National Association for the Education of Young Children |
NAMI | National Alliance for the Mentally Ill |
NAPAS | National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems |
NAPVI | National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments |
NASBE | National Association of State Boards of Education |
NASDSE | National Association of State Directors of Special Education |
NCD | National Council on Disability |
NCIL | National Council on Independent Living |
NCLD | National Center for Learning Disabilities |
NCPIE | National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education |
NDSC | |
NDSS | National down syndrome society |
NDT | Neuro-developmental treatment |
NEA | National education association |
Neighborhood School | The public school a child would normally attend if he or she did not have a disability. As long as the student is a resident of the neighborhood served by the school, he or she may attend that school. |
NFB | National Federation for the Blind |
NICHCY | National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities |
NICWA | National Indian child welfare association |
NIDRR | National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research |
NMHA | National mental health association |
NOPBC | National Organization of Parents of Blind Children |
NORD | National Organization for Rare Disorders |
NPND | National Parent Network on Disabilities |
NPPSIS | National Parent to Parent Support and Information System |
NPRM | Notice of Proposed Rule Making. Whenever a federal agency proposes to publish new or amended regulations to enact a law (such as IDEA) the proposed regulations are issued in the Federal Register for public review and comment. The NPRM designation indicates that these are proposed regulations, out for public comment. Once finalized, regulations are published in the Federal Register as Final Rules and Regulations. |
NPRM | Notice of Proposed Rule Making |
O & M | Orientation and Mobility |
Occupational Therapy | Related service that strengthens and develops a child's fine motor skills. |
OCD | Obsessive-compulsive disorder |
OCR | Office for Civil Rights |
ODD | Oppositional defiant disorder |
Office of Civil Rights (OCR) | A branch of the U.S. Department of Education that enforces several Federal civil rights laws (such as, Section 504) that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. These laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, gender, disability and on the basis of age. Frequently asked questions about the relation between IDEiA and Section 504. |
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) | A division of the U.S. Department of Education dedicated to improving results for children with disabilities ages birth through 21, by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts. OSEP administers the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). |
OHI | Other health impairment |
OI | Orthopedic impairment |
OMB | Office of Management and Budget |
Ombudsman | A person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing the broad scope of constituent interests. In Washington State there is an Educational Ombudsman through the Governor's Office. Excellent information is available there. The Office of the Education Ombudsman (OEO) helps solve conflict and disputes between Washington families and elementary and secondary public schools so that students have every opportunity to stay in school and succeed. They are part of the Governor’s Office and function independently from the public school system. |
Orientation and Mobility | Related service focusing on training a child with a disability (particularly visual impairments) to move independently within his/her environment. |
OSEP | Office for Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of |
OSERS | Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. |
OT | Occupational therapy |
P & A | Protection and Advocacy Agency |
PACER | Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights |
PALS | Peer-assisted learning system |
Parent-Teacher Conference | A conference is a time for parents and teachers to share information, solve problems, and form a relationship that will help the student succeed. Suggestions about parent-teacher conferences are here. |
PASS | Plan for Achieving Self-Support. A part of the SSI statute that permits the exclusion of income and resources of individuals who are blind or disabled, if an individual needs such income/resources to fulfill an approved PASS. PASS allows income to be set aside in order to reach a goal toward independence, such as starting a business, going to school, or obtaining training for a job. PASS set-aside money does not reduce SSI benefits. |
PASS | Plan for Achieving Self-Support |
PBIS | OSEP’s Center for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports |
PBS | Positive behavioral supports |
PCA | Personal care attendant |
PD | Physical disability |
PDD | Pervasive developmental disorder |
Peer Interaction Support | Providing opportunities and the support that some children may need to be able to initiate and maintain relationships with other children. |
Performance | |
Perkins Act | Carl Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act |
Physical Therapy | Related service that focuses on helping children strengthen, improve, or develop their gross motor skills, such as walking, crawling, running and wheelchair' activities. |
PIRC | Parent Information and Resource Center |
Planning and Placement Team (PPT) | A group of professionals who represent each of the teaching, administrative and pupil personnel staffs and who, with the parents, are equal participants in the decision making process to determine the specific educational needs of the child and develop, review and revise a child's IEP. A planning and placement team reviews referrals to special education, determines if the child needs to be evaluated, decides what evaluations will be given to the child, and determines whether the child is eligible for special education services. |
PLEP or PLP | Present Level of Educational Performance or Present Level of |
Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) | An approach to addressing challenging behaviors that includes functional assessment of the behavior, organizing the environment, teaching skills, rewarding positive behaviors, anticipating situations and monitoring the effect of interventions and redesigning interventions as necessary. |
PP | Paraprofessional |
Preschool Special Education | Specially designed instruction that meets the needs of child with a disability between the ages of 3 and 5 years. |
Present Levels of Educational Performance | Statements that should accurately describe the effect of your child's disability on his or her performance in any area of education that is affected, including academic areas and non-academic areas. |
Prior Written Notice | An explanation why the school district proposes or refuses to take an action. The school must inform parents of any actions proposed or refused by the PPT, a description of other options that the PPT considered, an explanation why those options were rejected including assessment information used to make the decision. All this must be done in writing. In Connecticut , prior written notice is attached to the IEP. The proposed action cannot be implemented until five school days from the date the parents receives the notice. |
PS | Preschool |
PT | Physical therapy |
PTI | Parent Training and Information Center |
Public Expense t | He school district either pays for the full cost of evaluation, or ensures that the evaluation is otherwise provided at no cost to the parent. |
Reader | Person who works with visually impaired children by reading school assignments to them. |
Referral | Process of recommending a child suspected of having a disability that may require special education and related services for evaluation. Referrals can be made by parents and/or professionals. |
Referral | Process of recommending a child suspected of having a disability that may require special education and related services for evaluation. Referrals can be made by parents and/or professionals. |
Regional Education Service Center ( RESC ) | A Connecticut public educational authority formed by four or more boards of education for the purpose of cooperative action to furnish programs and services. |
Related Services | Support, services needed to help your child with a disability benefit from special education. |
RS | Related services |
RSA | Rehabilitative services agency |
S/L I | Speech/language impairment |
S/L P | Speech/language pathologist |
S/P D or S/P H | Severe/Profound Disability or Handicap |
SAS | Supplementary Aids and Services |
SB | Spina bifida |
SBAA | Spina Bifida Association of America |
SC | Service coordinator |
SE | Special education |
SEA | State education agency |
SEAC | Special education advisory committee |
Section 504 | Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. A civil rights statute designed to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Some individuals who do not qualify for services under IDEA may receive services and/or accommodations under Section 504. |
Section 504 | Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act |
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 | A federal civil rights statute that protects the rights of persons with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, which includes public schools. |
SED | Serious emotional disturbance |
Short-Term Objectives | Intermediate steps leading to each goal. These objectives must be measurable and understandable to all IEP participants. |
SI | Sensory integration |
SIG | State improvement grant |
SIP | State implementation plan |
SLD | Specific learning disability |
Special Education | Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability |
Speech and Language Pathologist | Professional educated in the study of human -communication, its development and its disorders. By evaluating the speech and language skills of children and adults, the speech-language pathologist determines if communication problems exist and decides the best way to treat these problems. Stay-put describes your child's educational status during a due process hearing. Usually, your child must remain in his or her present educational placement unless the IEP team agrees to change the placement or an impartial hearing officer issues a ruling changing the placement. |
SPOA | Specific Power of Attorney |
SSA | Social security administration |
SSDI | Social Security Disability Income. Cash benefits paid to individuals who are blind or have other disabilities and who have previously worked under(i.e., paid into) Social Security. |
SSDI | Social security disability income |
SSI | Supplemental Security Income. A supplemental cash benefits program administered by the Social Security Administration for individuals who are blind or have other disabilities who have little or no income or resources. |
SST | Student study team |
Stay Put | The requirement that your child must stay in his or her current program or placement during the course of a due process hearing, unless you and the school district agree to a change. |
Supplementary Aids and Services | Aids, services, program modifications, and/or supports for school personnel that are provided in general education classes or other education-related settings to enable students with disabilities to be educated with students who are non disabled. |
Surrogate Parent | Someone who is appointed by the state to act in the place of a child's parent, representing the child in all areas of educational matters, if the child's parent cannot be located, or is removed from the home. |
TASH | Formerly The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps |
TBI | Traumatic brain injury |
TDD | Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf |
Team Teaching | Two or more teachers, who sometimes have different-areas of, expertise (e.g. Special ed and general ed), cooperatively teaching a class or unit. |
The Arc | Formerly The Association for Retarded Citizens |
The Perkins Act | The Carl Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1998. The purpose of this act is to develop more fully the academic, vocational, and technical skills of secondary and postsecondary students who choose to enroll in vocational and technical education programs. The act applies to the general population and to the following special populations individuals with disabilities; individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including foster children; individuals preparing for nontraditional training and employment; single parents; single pregnant women; displaced homemakers; and individuals with limited English proficiency. |
TMH | Trainable mentally handicapped |
TMR | Trainable mentally retarded |
Transition | A coordinated set of activities for a student, designed with an outcome oriented process, that - promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, and/or community participation. |
TS | Tourette syndrome |
TSA | Tourette syndrome association, inc. |
T-TA | Training and Technical Assistance |
TTY | Teletypewriter (phone system for the deaf) |
TWWIIA | Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act |
U.S. Government. | |
UAP | University affiliated program |
VI | Visual impairment |
Voc Ed | Vocational education |
VR | Vocational rehabilitation |