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Empowering Families in Special Education Act
3/23/2025, 11:20 AM
Summary of Bill HR 1570
The bill emphasizes the importance of parental involvement in the IEP process and seeks to ensure that parents are informed and included in decisions regarding their child's education. Specifically, the bill requires schools to notify parents within a reasonable timeframe before an IEP meeting is scheduled to take place.
Additionally, the bill includes provisions for ensuring that parents have the opportunity to participate in IEP meetings, including the option to request changes to the meeting time or location to accommodate their schedule. Overall, Bill 119 HR 1570 aims to strengthen communication and collaboration between schools and parents in the development of IEPs for students with disabilities, ultimately working towards providing a more inclusive and effective education for all students.
Congressional Summary of HR 1570
Empowering Families in Special Education Act
This bill establishes a notification requirement related to an individualized education program (IEP). (Generally, IEPs are individualized plans to ensure that a child with a disability receives a free appropriate public education.)
Under current law, states and local educational agencies (LEAs) must convene a team to develop an IEP. The composition of the team that develops the IEP is outlined in current law and allows for other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child (including related services personnel, as appropriate) to participate in this team. This bill requires the LEA that serves the child to notify the child's parents of their right to include these other individuals with knowledge or special expertise on the child's IEP team.
