Ten Legal Lessons for Special Educators

Overview & Synopsis

The purpose of this article is to provide special educators with significant and perhaps surprising recent lessons in special education law. These lessons under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act range from the threshold issues of child find and eligibility through the central obligation of free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environments to specialized issues, such as discipline and the statute of limitations. The conclusion emphasizes that legal requirements in special education are often not absolute and constitute a bottom boundary, different from the generally advisable guiding norm of best practice.