Legal Frameworks, Inclusive Responsibilities, and Learner Characteristics Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering legal frameworks (IDEA, Section 504, Title III), IEP requirements, LRE scenarios, accommodations vs. modifications, learner disabilities, and EL instructional concepts.

FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education)

An IDEA principle requiring that schooling is free and tailored to the individual child.

Appropriate Evaluation

An IDEA principle mandating fair and bias-free testing before placing a student in special education.

IEP (Individualized Education Program)

A custom roadmap made for a specific student receiving special education services.

LRE (Least Restrictive Environment)

An IDEA principle requiring students with disabilities to be kept with general education peers as much as possible.

Parent/Student Participation

An IDEA principle ensuring families have a literal seat at the table when making educational decisions.

Procedural Safeguards

Rules protecting student and parent rights under IDEA, including due process.

Present Levels of Performance (PLOP)

An IEP component detailing where the student stands right now academically and functionally.

Transition Services

An IEP component starting at age 16 that outlines plans for life after high school.

Age of Majority

A required IEP notice informing parents and students that rights transfer to the student when they turn 18.

LRE Scenario 1

Full general education classroom placement with zero specialized services needed in the room.

LRE Scenario 2

Regular classroom placement with push-in support, accommodations, or co-teaching inside the room.

LRE Scenario 3

Partial pull-out placement where the student spends part of the day in a regular class and part in a resource room for specialized help.

LRE Scenario 4

Placement completely outside of the traditional school building, such as a separate school, residential placement, or homebound instruction.

Accommodations

Supports (like extended time or preferential seating) that change how a student learns without altering the actual learning standards or workload expectations.

Modifications

Changes (like reduced test questions or simplified text) that alter what a student is expected to learn or master.

Section 504

A civil rights law under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that stops discrimination against people with disabilities and ensures equal access through accommodations without requiring an IEP.

Title III

Part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that provides funding and rules to ensure English Learners (ELs) learn English and meet academic standards.

Home Language Survey

A questionnaire given to parents upon school enrollment asking what language is spoken at home to flag students who may need EL screening.

LIEP Process

The four-step process for supporting English Learners: 1. Identification / Screening, 2. Placement, 3. Instruction & Monitoring, and 4. Reclassification / Exiting.

Dyslexia

A Specific Learning Disability (SLD) involving trouble with reading, decoding words, and spelling.

Dyscalculia

A Specific Learning Disability (SLD) involving trouble understanding math concepts and numbers.

Dysgraphia

A Specific Learning Disability (SLD) involving trouble with physical writing, spelling, and organizing thoughts on paper.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Learners

Students who come from homes, cultures, or backgrounds where English is not the primary language or whose culture differs from the mainstream dominant culture.

Sheltered English Instruction (SIOP)

An instructional model for ELs that teaches grade-level content using visual and simplified English techniques so content and language are learned simultaneously.

Newcomer Program

An EL instructional program designed to offer intensive survival English for brand-new arrivals.

Pre-production Stage (Silent Period)

The first stage of Krashen's second language acquisition model where the learner listens a lot, speaks little, and relies on gestures.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

A framework built on three core principles: Multiple Means of Engagement, Multiple Means of Representation, and Multiple Means of Action & Expression.

Twice-Exceptional (2e)

A term describing students who possess high cognitive potential/giftedness while also experiencing neurodivergence or disabilities.