These free downloadable publications will provide you with in-depth information on key topics that impact your child’s educational experience. The more you know, the better you can advocate for your child!

IDEA Parent Guide

NCLD has created a Parent Guide to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) so you can become an informed and effective partner with school personnel in supporting your child's special learning and behavioral needs. Click here to view the online version the IDEA Guide.

The IDEA 2004 Parent Guide is also available as a downloadable PDF. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the PDF. To get Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here. To download the IDEA 2004 Parent Guide, click here.

Parent Advocacy Briefs

Understanding the Standards-based Individualized Education Program (PDF)

Many states and school districts are embracing a new ‘standards-based’ approach to developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Learn how linking the content of a student’s IEP to the state’s academic standards for the student’s enrolled grade seeks to raise the learning expectations for students with disabilities and provide opportunities for students to make significant achievement gains.

Understanding High-Stakes Testing and Its Impact on Students with Learning Disabilities (PDF)

Students with LD need to have every opportunity to pass "high-stakes" tests with their classmates. This brief outlines for parents the major issues, the most common obstacles and provides a checklist so students stay on course for the future.

A Parent's Guide to
Response-to-Intervention (RTI) (PDF)

IDEA includes a new provision that allows states and school districts to use high quality, research-based instruction in general and special education to provide services and interventions to students who struggle to learn and may be at risk or suspected of having learning disabilities. This Guide provides an overview of the RTI process, describes how it is implemented in schools and offers questions that parents can ask.


Transition to College: Strategic Planning to Ensure Success for Students With Learning Disabilities (PDF)

Making plans for the future and knowing where you're going allows you to design the steps that will take you to your destination. As a parent, it is important to encourage your child to learn what he or she needs to know about college in order to plan a successful transition. This brief can help you understand the requirements and opportunities included in the law so that you can successfully plan and help your child prepare for his or her future.

Preschool Services Under IDEA

While the preschool years are a time of triumphs for most children and families, approximately 8% of all young children are identified as having disabilities that may prevent their reaching important milestones as expected. It was with these children and their families in mind that Congress created the Part C Infant/Toddler Program and the Preschool Special Education Program in 1986 when it reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This brief explains the services preschoolers may be entitled to under the Section 619 Preschool Program.

Making the Most of Options for IDEA-eligible Students provides an overview of the school choice and supplemental educational services opportunities that might be available to students, and highlights important points for consideration and questions to ask. Click here to view the PDF.

Determining Appropriate Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities provides an overview of appropriate accommodations for students with IEPs or 504 Plans, serves as a guide to choosing accommodations and suggests questions to ask when making appropriate accommodation decisions. Click here to view the PDF.

Understanding Assessment Options for IDEA-eligible Students provides an overview of the ways students with IEPs can participate in statewide tests required by NCLB, helps guide parents as the IEP team chooses the right types of assessments and offers questions to ask about the testing options. Click here to view the PDF.