How DRI Helps
Disability Rights Iowa is an advocate for students and families who have experienced unequal treatment in the classroom. We work to educate students, families, school districts, and communities about students’ rights and improve their learning environments. Our goals for better education for youths with disabilities and mental illness are:
Keeping Students with Challenging Behaviors in School All Day to Support Educational Progress
Students with challenging behaviors related to their disability need to be in school all day to receive proper instruction from qualified special educators. Research has shown that frequent use of suspensions or expulsions has no educational benefit, is strongly associated with low achievement, increases the risk of a student dropping out, and creates a greater likelihood of juvenile justice involvement.
How We Will Achieve This Goal
- Provide students who have been suspended or placed on a shortened school day for 10+ days with legal assistance and advocacy. We assist them in developing goals and a behavior intervention plan that reduces the use of restraint, seclusion, and other exclusionary disciplinary measures, including suspension or the police’s involvement for behavior related to the student’s disability.
- Inform parents and students of their rights concerning disciplinary issues.
- Conduct targeted outreach to under-served populations of youth with disabilities, especially children of color, who are disproportionately suspended, expelled, restrained, and secluded.
Implementing Transition Plans to Prepare for Post-Secondary Education and Work
Iowa Code requires the IEP team to begin developing a transition plan for a student with disabilities by age 14. The Iowa Department of Education divides the IDEA standards into three categories: living, learning, and working. Any transition plan must meaningfully address these three categories to support a successful transition to life in the community following graduation.
How We Will Achieve This Goal
Provide advocacy and legal assistance to transition-aged students faced with inadequately designed or implemented transition plans.
Educate students and their families about their rights under state and federal law regarding transition issues.
Defend Your Right to an Equal Education
DRI can help.
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Support students with disabilities.
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