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Know Your Rights

Free, expert-curated information about special education rights in California — in English and Spanish.

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My Child Keeps Getting Suspended

Your rights when your child with a disability is being suspended or disciplined at school, including manifestation determination requirements and IDEA discipline protections.

Common Situations

The School Says My Child Doesn't Qualify

What to do when the school says your child doesn't qualify for special education, including how to challenge the decision, request the evaluation report, and get an independent evaluation.

Common Situations

My Child Has an IEP but Needs More Help

What to do when your child already has an IEP but the current services aren't enough — including how to request additional services and call an IEP meeting at any time.

Common Situations

My Child Is Struggling to Read

What to do if your child is having trouble reading at school, including how to request an evaluation and what the school is required to do.

Common Situations

I Disagree With the IEP

What to do when you disagree with your child's IEP goals, services, or placement, including your rights and options for dispute resolution.

Common Situations

The District Is Ignoring Our Private Evaluation

What to do when the school acknowledges receiving your private evaluation but dismisses its findings without genuine consideration or explanation.

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Browse by Topic

Deep-dive into specific rights under IDEA and California law.

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Your Rights

Child Find and High Achievers: Grades Don't Tell the Whole Story

Schools cannot deny a special education evaluation simply because your child is passing classes or earning good grades. Federal Child Find obligations apply to all children with suspected disabilities — including students who are academically succeeding despite significant struggles.

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Your Rights

Compensatory Education: Making Up for Lost Time

When a school district fails to provide your child a Free Appropriate Public Education, you may be entitled to compensatory education — additional services to make up for what was lost.

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Your Rights

The District Must Consider Outside Data and Private Evaluations

School districts are legally required to consider all relevant information about your child — including private evaluations, parent observations, and outside data — when making IEP decisions. They cannot simply ignore it.

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Your Rights

Dispute Resolution Options

Your options when you disagree with the school about your child's special education services, including compliance complaints, mediation, and due process hearings.

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Your Rights

Dyslexia and Due Process: Who Wins and Why

An analysis of California OAH due process decisions involving dyslexia — especially complex, comorbid cases — examining which factors determine whether parents win or lose, and what the decisions mean for your child's case.

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Your Rights

Dyslexia Screening

California's requirements for universal dyslexia screening under AB 1369, what schools must screen for, timelines, and what to do if your child is identified as at risk.

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Hearing Decisions

Real rulings showing what hearing officers decide — and why parents win or lose.

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Parent Prevailed2024041122/2023120389

Deficient SLD Assessment Leads to Wrongful Exit from Special Education and Restoration Order

Pleasanton USD's multidisciplinary assessment was found non-compliant with the law in its SLD portion. The school psychologist discarded the WISC-V full-scale IQ in favor of an unexplained General Ability Index, failed to calculate or discuss any score discrepancies, relied on an unsupported theory about absenteeism to explain processing deficits, and never interviewed the parent or teachers. The ALJ found the district wrongfully exited the student from special education based on this deficient assessment, denying FAPE continuously from September 2023 through April 2024. The district was ordered to restore the student to special education, fund an independent psychoeducational evaluation, and provide staff training.

Mixed Result2022030740

Assessment Failed to Include Classroom Observations, Parent Input, or Written Language Testing

Riverside Unified School District conducted a speech and language assessment that failed to include classroom observations, adequate parent input, and a complete evaluation of written language. The ALJ found the assessment was not comprehensive, denied FAPE, and ordered reimbursement for independent evaluations, eligibility under specific learning disability, and 8 hours of compensatory academic instruction.

Parent Prevailed2025040010

Speech Assessment Collected Teacher and Student Input But Excluded the Parent Entirely

A school district conducted a speech and language assessment that gathered input from the student's teacher and from the student directly, but failed to collect any input from the parent. The ALJ found this omission rendered the assessment inadequate under the IDEA, which requires that parent input be considered as part of any evaluation.

Mixed Result2022060225

District Refused Assessment Request and Left Student Without Services for Five Months

San Dieguito Union High School District denied a parent's December 2021 request for a psychoeducational assessment, claiming the 504 Plan was sufficient. The district did not agree to assess until January 2022 — after the parent hired an attorney. The ALJ found the district violated the IDEA by failing to timely present an assessment plan, resulting in a five-month delay in services, and ordered compensatory academic instruction, speech and language services, and counseling.

Parent Prevailed2021050241

Los Alamitos USD Failed Child Find Duty for Student with Dyslexia Despite CDE Dyslexia Guidelines Warning Signs and Lack of RTI Progress

Los Alamitos Unified School District failed its child find duty by not referring a student for special education assessment despite the student exhibiting all the warning signs of dyslexia listed in the California Department of Education's Dyslexia Guidelines. The student was not making sufficient progress in Response to Intervention (RTI), and the district should have referred for assessment by May 2019. A private evaluation confirmed dyslexia. The ALJ found FAPE denied from October 2019 and ordered compensatory education and reimbursement for the private evaluation.

Parent Prevailed2023100526

LAUSD Failed to Identify Student with PTSD and Emotional Disturbance for Over Two Years Despite Behavior Incidents, Absences, and Suicide Attempt

Los Angeles Unified School District failed to identify, locate, and evaluate a student with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and emotional disturbance for over two years — from October 2021 through December 2023. Despite the student's extensive discipline record, chronic absences, emotional outbursts, a suicide attempt, and the parent's prior consent revocation, LAUSD failed to meet its independent child find duty. The ALJ ordered 254 hours of compensatory education, an OT IEE, and funded residential treatment center placement.

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New to Special Education?

If your child was just identified as needing extra support, start here. We'll walk you through the basics — what an IEP is, what your rights are, and what to expect.

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Research-Based

Every page cites specific IDEA and California Education Code sections.

Fully Bilingual

Every guide available in English and Spanish — culturally adapted, not just translated.

Action-Oriented

Sample letters, checklists, and step-by-step guides you can use today.