Is your high schooler ready to graduate??

With graduation coming upon us, some of you are asking if your child with an IEP is entitled to received special education services after graduating from high school.  The short answer is no, unless of course the school district or charter school is obligated to provide compensatory services.  But absent such an  obligation,  special education and related services are terminated when a student with an IEP receives a high school diploma.  However, your child may be entitled to receive special education and related services until their 22nd birthday if he or she requires such services.  Therefore, you must know if your child is ready and able to graduate, which will terminate special ed and related services.  Otherwise, beware that your child will lose those services if he or she graduates despite continuing to require special ed and related services. 

If your child is scheduled to graduate this year, make sure there is an IEP meeting to review your child's IEP in sufficient time before your child is to receive the diploma.  At the meeting, make certain that graduation requirements will be met, and that the goals and objectives in the IEP will be completed.