Supreme Court Sides with Parents of Disabled Children

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion on the obligations of parents seeking to enforce the educational rights of their special needs children. The Court ruled that parents do not need to hire a lawyer in order to sue a school district under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), declaring that "[b]ecause parents enjoy rights under IDEA, they are entitled to prosecute IDEA claims on their own behalf," without having to hire a lawyer. Under the IDEA, special needs students are entitled to a "free appropriate public education" under the terms of an "individualized education program" (IEP) that is developed by the parents, school officials, and others.

• Read the U.S. Supreme Court Opinion: Winkelman v. Parma City School District
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Library of Congress)
• Washington Post article: Parents of Disabled Child Win Ruling
• Overview of Special Education Law (FindLaw)
• Can the IDEA Help My Child? (FindLaw)