Kids are back in school across the DMV, so it’s a good time to highlight the importance of accommodations and special education services for children and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Like jobs, government services, and public spaces, public schools must provide accommodations to make their physical spaces and their programs available to people with disabilities. That might mean that schools have to have ramps and elevators, accessible door buttons and wide doorways, or information in Braille, large print, or ASL. It might also mean giving students extra time to move between classes, extra time or more detailed instructions for completing classwork, homework, or tests, or help with reading and writing their assignments or tests. There is not a specific list of accommodations available for students with disabilities at school; it depends on the student and their specific needs.

For kids who need more than accommodations and need specialized instruction to meet grade-level expectations, they should have an individualized education program, or IEP, that describes which academic areas they need support in, what goals they are going to achieve that school year, what environment they need to learn in to achieve their goals, and what special supports and services they need to achieve their goals. The student and their parents should be involved in the process where the IEP is written, and they have rights to disagree if they don’t think the school is meeting the students’ needs adequately.

For older students, especially students with IDD, they need to start planning for their life after high school. Will they go to college, get more training, or get a job, and what supports do they need to work? What skills do they need to learn to be independent, and what resources are available to help students learn those independent living skills? What long-term services will they need, and who provides those services? Will they need help to make decisions when they become an adult and, if so, what does that support look like?

Quality Trust’s navigators and attorneys are available to help older students who are starting to think about what life looks like after high school. Our Family Ties of DC program is available to connect parents of people with disabilities to other parents who faced the same questions about and challenges with their child’s care. Our youth advocacy program is available to help transition-age youth and young adults better understand their disability, advocate for themselves, and tell their stories.

Please contact us online, by email, or by calling 202-448-1450 if you would like to talk more about your family’s situation.