Education
Self-help information about education for students with disabilities
Tools to Help You Category:
DRW Information Sheets
An explanation of the process for filing a Citizen Complaint with OSPI.
A listing of organizations providing information, dispute resolution, legal and other services to people with disabilities using public special education services.
Links to External Sites
The Office for Civil Rights is part of the US Department of Education. Their mission is to enforce federal statutes that prohibit discrimination in public education. Anyone who believes that a public educational institution has discriminated against someone on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age may file a complaint with OCR.
OCR provides an online complaint form.
TeamChild produced this self-help advocacy manual about education, in partnership with several other community organizations. The manual can be downloaded and printed in whole, or chapter by chapter.
OEO, part of the Governor’s Office, functions independently from the public school system. OEO provides assistance to resolve complaints, disputes, and problems between families and public schools.
OEO has a publication titled: "Protecting the Educational Rights of Students with Disabilities in Public Schools.”
OSPI provides information about state special education services provided through public schools. Included is student assessment and dispute resolution information.
Staff and volunteers at PAVE work with people one-to-one or provide workshops on various aspects of obtaining appropriate services in the public school system.
The Special Education Ombudsman (SEO) is located in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). The Ombudsman provides support and information to help parents, guardians, educators, and students with disabilities understand state and federal laws, rules, and regulations, and to access training and support, technical information, and mediation services.
TeamChild is a nonprofit civil legal aid organization, that provices free legal representation and advice to youth, as well as legal education resources and trainings to community partners.
Washington LawHelp is the online legal information source maintained by Northwest Justice Project, Washington's legal aid program for low income persons.