ARD & IEP Planning
What is an ARD Meeting?
The ultimate beginner's guide to the Texas Admission, Review, and Dismissal process.
Your Rights at an ARD Meeting
Understand your equal standing at the table and how to invoke the 10-day recess rule.
10 Questions to Ask at Your Next ARD Meeting
Don't sit silently. Ask these specific questions to keep the district accountable.
ARD Meeting Tips for Texas Parents
Practical strategies for organizing your binder, taking notes, and managing emotions.
How to Disagree at an ARD Meeting
Exactly what to do and say when you refuse to sign the IEP document.
How to Write Measurable IEP Goals
Stop accepting vague goals. Learn how to force the school to use data-driven metrics.
Evaluations & Child Find
What is an FIE (Full Individual Evaluation)?
The core components of the testing process and what diagnosticians look for.
Understanding the FIIE in Texas
Deep dive into the Initial Evaluation process and your consent rights.
The School's "Child Find" Obligations
How federal law mandates districts to actively identify struggling students.
How to Request a Special Ed Evaluation
Why you must put your request in writing, and exactly who to send it to.
What to Do When the School Denies an Evaluation
Action steps to take when the principal tells you to "just try RTI first."
The Texas FIE Evaluation Timeline
Breaking down the strict 15-45-30 school day legal clock.
How to Get an IEE (Independent Evaluation)
Disagree with their testing? How to make the district pay for an outside expert.
Discipline, Due Process & Notices
Texas Parent Rights in Special Education
A comprehensive overview of your procedural safeguards under IDEA.
Special Education Discipline Rules in Texas
Understanding the 10-day suspension rule and DAEP placements.
Manifestation Determination Reviews (MDR)
How to prove an infraction was caused by your child's disability, not defiance.
Navigating Due Process in Texas
What it means to file a formal legal complaint against your school district.
Understanding Prior Written Notice (PWN)
The legal document the school MUST provide when they refuse your requests.