All articles about California IEP & 504 Advocacy Playbook.
Filing due process in California means going before OAH's Special Education Division. Learn what a complaint must include, how to avoid dismissal, and what happens next.
Step-by-step guide for California parents to challenge a school district's denial of special education services, assessments, or placement without hiring an attorney.
Special education attorneys in California cost $300-$500/hour. Here are the best self-advocacy tools for parents who need to fight the district without legal representation.
California Education Code § 56321 sets strict 15-day and 60-calendar-day assessment timelines. Learn how they work, when they're violated, and what to do.
How AB 114 shifted mental health services to school districts in California, and how to advocate for ERMHS when your child's IEP is denied.
The DRC SERR manual is a 16-chapter legal encyclopedia. Here are 5 alternatives that give California parents faster, more actionable IEP advocacy tools.
Wrightslaw covers federal IDEA law. California parents need state-specific tools. Here's when each resource is the right choice and why most families need both.
California gives parents 5 business days to receive special education records — not the federal 45 days. Here's how to request records and what to do if the school delays.
Step-by-step guide to requesting a special education evaluation for your child, including what to write, legal timelines, and what happens if the school says no.
The 13 disability categories under IDEA and California Education Code that qualify a student for special education, with how each is defined and assessed.
California's rural and Central Valley families face a special education system stretched to breaking by staff shortages and geographic isolation. Here's what you're still entitled to.
California's SELPA system is unlike any other state. Learn what a SELPA is, how it controls special education funding, and how parents can use it strategically.
California NPS placements are expensive and districts fight them hard. Learn what an NPS is, when you qualify, how to find certified schools, and how to fight a refusal.
California Education Code specifies exactly who must be at every IEP meeting. Learn required team members, how to prepare, and what to bring to the table.
What related services California students with IEPs are entitled to, how to request them, and how to fight denials of speech therapy, OT, transportation, and aide hours.
California's stay-put provision freezes your child's IEP placement when a dispute is filed. Learn when stay-put applies, its limits, and how to invoke it correctly.
California gives parents stronger IEP rights than federal law. Learn your procedural safeguards, prior written notice rights, and 5-day records rule.
California Education Code 56343 gives parents the right to request an IEP meeting anytime. Learn exactly how to write a legally effective request letter.
How California ESY eligibility works, what regression and recoupment mean legally, and how to get ESY written into your child's IEP when the district resists.
Learn how to write a formal California IEP complaint letter to your district or the CDE, with key Education Code citations that turn complaints into legal demands.
What California law requires before a student with a disability can be suspended, expelled, or disciplined — including manifestation determination and FBA rights.
Understand the key differences between a 504 plan and an IEP in California, including what each covers, protections, and how to choose the right path.
If your California school denied your assessment request, here's exactly what to do — including the Ed Code citations and evaluation request letter you need.
How California's LRE requirement works in practice, including what SDC and RSP placements mean and how to challenge a placement decision you disagree with.
If you disagree with your California school's assessment, you have the right to request an IEE at public expense. Here's how the process works and what districts cannot do.
California's AB 438 moved transition planning earlier than federal law requires. Here's what high school IEPs must include and how to advocate for strong transition goals.
How California's IEP surrogate parent system works, who qualifies as a surrogate, and what rights surrogates have in the special education process.
California IEP progress reports must be sent each grading period. Learn what to do when reports show no progress or your child's IEP goals aren't being met.
California's dyslexia screening mandates, how to request a school evaluation, and what an effective IEP for dyslexia should include under state law.
What California schools must provide for autistic students under IDEA and state law, including IEP goals, related services, and placement options.
California parents can file a free compliance complaint with the CDE when their school district violates special education law. Here's the process, deadlines, and what to include.
California offers three dispute resolution paths for IEP disagreements. Learn which one to use — OAH mediation, due process, or CDE compliance complaint — and when.
Learn when hiring a special education attorney makes sense, what they cost, how they differ from advocates, and how to prepare before your first consultation.
California students with ADHD may qualify for an IEP, a 504 plan, or both. Here's how to tell the difference and what each actually provides.
Understand the full IEP process from referral to annual review. Learn each step, timeline, and what to expect at every stage of your child's special education journey.