Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This is the federal law that guarantees the rights of children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education.

Free Appropriate Public Education. The right, guaranteed under IDEA, for each child with a disability who needs special education and related services to have an individualized education program (IEP) at public expense.

Individualized Education Program. It is a written plan that guides your child's special education services. It is developed, reviewed and revised in a meeting in accordance with, "...federal and state laws, regulations, and rules".

A child's parent or person acting in that role. The parent may be the biological or adoptive parent, a foster parent, a legal guardian, a person acting in the place of the parent such as a grandparent, a surrogate parent, or the child who is 18 or older.

The data gathering process in which procedures are used selectively with an individual child to determine special education eligibility or programming. It does not include basic tests administered or procedures used with all children in a school, grade or class.

Suitable or fitting. IDEA specifies the procedures for determining the appropriate education for an individual child. Evaluations are done to identify you child's needs. From those needs, the IEP team will determine the appropriate educational services so your child can make meaningful educational progress.

Any specially designed services that enable a child to benefit from special education instruction. Some examples include occupational therapy, physical therapy, audiology, and mobility training.