The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) provides services to children ages 3 through 21, residing in Hawaiʻi, who are eligible for special education and related services. Special education is specially designed instruction, related services, and other supplementary aids to meet your child’s unique needs—at no cost to parent(s).

概述

Special education refers to a range of services provided your child with disabilities to improve their educational outcomes. It is specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of your child with disabilities. Special education may include, but is not limited to, academic services, speech-language services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, counseling services, and parent education. In addition, special education services are provided at no cost to parent(s). Find out if Special Education Is it for your child? (PDF).

Special education services are made available to any student — ages 3 through 21 — who demonstrates a need for specially designed instruction after an eligibility determination. An evaluation will determine the nature and extent of the student’s needs. Evaluations are separate assessments that may include: academic performance, communication skills, general intelligence, health, vision, hearing, social and emotional status, and motor abilities. If your child is eligible for special education, services are provided through an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

2004 年联邦《残疾人教育改进法案》（IDEA）和州法规要求 HIDOE 提供免费的适当公共教育 (FAPE)，其中包括为有资格接受特殊教育和相关服务的孩子提供一系列服务。

评估与资格

特殊教育是针对那些因残疾而学习困难并需要专门指导的学生。

评估是指确定您的孩子是否有残疾以及需要特殊教育和相关服务的性质和程度的程序。此过程通过确定是否存在残疾以及需要特殊教育服务来帮助确定有资格接受特殊教育和相关服务的学习者。评估过程有特定的时间表，团队必须遵循这些时间表。

在支持性教学实践发生后，如果学生需要的远远超过课堂老师通过普通教育支持所能提供的，则开始进行适当的特殊教育转介。例如，一名学生在学业和/或行为方面面临重大挑战，尽管干预程度不断提高，但仍然没有取得进步。

特殊教育残疾认定

团队必须：

• 进行评估
• 完成三项测试
• 考虑孩子的教育进步和残疾之间的相互作用
• 确定残疾对教育的影响
• 决定是否需要特殊教育

这一重要区别凸显了残疾标签本身并不能决定是否有资格接受特殊教育。在特殊教育资格的背景下，如果不考虑因残疾导致的教育进步受损，残疾标签就毫无意义。

三叉测试 

必须满足每个条件后，团队才能确定您的孩子是否有资格接受特殊教育。

• 第一方面：残疾 – 您的孩子有残疾吗？
• 第二点：不良影响 – Is the disability adversely affecting your child’s involvement and progress in general education?
• 第三个方面：需要 – 您的孩子是否由于残疾而需要特殊教育和相关服务？

个性化教育计划

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written statement about the educational program for your child with a disability. It serves as a management tool to ensure that your child receives the needed special education and related services. It can also serve as an evaluation tool when used to determine the extent of their progress toward accomplishing projected goals.

Each IEP includes:

• A statement of your child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance
• 年度目标声明，包括短期教学目标
• 将提供的具体特殊教育和相关服务的声明
• 您的孩子能够参加常规教育计划的程度
• 预计开始提供服务的日期以及预计的服务持续时间
• 适当的客观标准和评估程序及时间表，用于至少每年一次确定目标是否实现

Beginning at age 14 (or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team), the IEP shall include a statement of the transition service needs of your child—under the applicable components of the their IEP—that focuses on their courses of study (such as participation in a vocational educational program).

Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when your child turns 16 (or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team), the IEP must include:

• 根据适合年龄的过渡评估制定适当且可衡量的中学后目标
• 帮助学生实现这些目标所需的过渡服务（包括学习课程）
• 根据您孩子的个人需求进行适合其年龄的过渡评估，以确定适当的、可衡量的中学后目标
• Beginning no later than one year before your child reaches the age of majority under state law, (18 years of age in Hawaiʻi), their IEP must include a statement that the student has been informed of his/her rights under Part B of IDEA, if any, that will transfer to your child on reaching the age of majority

下列 participants need to be present at an IEP meeting (PDF):

• A representative of the public agency, other than your child’s teacher, who is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, special education
• The child’s teacher
• 父母一方或双方/法定监护人
• 您的孩子（如果适用）
• 由家长或机构决定的其他个人

IEP Meetings

IEP meetings need to be held at least annually. Depending on the needs and progress of your child, meetings to review and revise may be held more frequently.

While IEP meetings are usually initiated and conducted by the school, it is appropriate for parents to request an IEP meeting when you believe your child is not progressing satisfactorily or you feel there is a problem with the current IEP.