As a parent, you have the right to make sure your child receives a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). The AFC Parent Center is devoted to helping parents in their mission for quality education for their children. Through our Parent Center, we provide training, information, and assistance to parents of children with disabilities, ages 0 to 26, and to the professionals who work with them. We offer workshops in English and Spanish in every community in New York City that prepare parents to effectively advocate for their children's educational rights in the public school system. A PINS petition can be filed in Family Court by a parent or other person legally responsible for the care of the child, by a police or police officer, by a person who has been injured by a child, or by a school or other authorized agency.
The petition contains a description of the child's behavior and requests the court to determine that the child needs supervision. The petition and a subpoena must be given to the child and his parents, instructing them to appear before the Family Court on a specified date. In addition, referrals can be made by someone from an Early Childhood Counseling Center, an approved preschool program, or an early intervention program that serves children with disabilities from birth to three years of age. The Board of Education is responsible for organizing the appropriate special education programs and services provided to your child. Your child is not removed from education in a normal classroom with other children of the same age just because the general curriculum needs to be modified.
The Office offers training programs to help parents understand special education laws and regulations. A special education teacher, speech teacher, and paraprofessional will provide individualized and small-group instruction using the Basic Language and Learning Skills Assessment (ABLLS) curriculum. These include people from the local Special Education Training and Resource Center, parent centers and networks, and the New York State Department of Education's Regional Office for Quality Assurance for Vocational and Educational Services for People with Disabilities. These non-residential and non-medical service centers offer education and awareness-raising activities in their communities to break down barriers and allow people with disabilities to participate fully in community life. A fair hearing is a formal procedure in which disagreements between you and the school district are decided by an impartial hearing officer appointed by the Board of Education.
Preschool students must meet one of the eligibility criteria to be determined as children with a disability who require special education. Elizabeth and Dan have succeeded in all their due process claims on behalf of Travis, who is now in sixth grade at a specialized private school. New York City Department of Education, where parents of children with disabilities filed a lawsuit alleging that they had received favorable orders and agreements at fair hearings that were not being enforced in time;. Cannot be an official, agent, or employee of the school district, the State Department of Education, or the agency involved in the education or care of the child. Together, you'll work to make sure that special education programs and services are provided to meet your child's needs. Can represent (speak for) the child in all matters related to identification, evaluation, educational placement, and the provision of free and appropriate public education for the child.
The New York State Board of Regents and the State Department of Education have set high goals for educational programs and services for students with disabilities in New York. When his new adoptive parents, Elizabeth and Dan, enrolled Travis in their neighborhood public school, in a rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood, they learned that Travis was eligible for special education services. Finding an appropriate educational placement for your kid with special needs can be difficult but it is possible. The AFC Parent Center provides resources such as workshops and training programs that can help you understand special education laws and regulations so you can effectively advocate for your child's rights. You can also file a PINS petition in Family Court if necessary.
Additionally, there are non-residential service centers that offer educational activities that can help break down barriers so people with disabilities can participate fully in community life. Finally, if you disagree with any decisions made by your school district regarding your child's educational placement you can request a fair hearing.
