I attended the SEEK conference last Sunday, and a participant wisely said that parents need a one-page document describing their special education rights. So this is my attempt. . .
Special Education in Connecticut – Parent Bill of Rights[1]
- Parents have a right to attend their child’s PPTs at a time that is mutually agreed-upon with the school team. (34 CFR § 300.322). Districts may not require that a PPT occur on one particular date and time. At least five days prior to the PPT, parents have the right to receive a written invitation to the PPT that lists the purpose of the PPT and lists everyone invited by the school team.
- When the district has done evaluations to determine eligibility for special education, parents have the right to request that they receive copies of the evaluations at least three school days in advance of the PPT.
- Parents have the right to bring anyone they wish to PPTs.
- Parents have the right to record the PPT meeting and should let the district know they are recording.
- After a PPT, the family has the right to receive the IEP within 5 school days.
- Parents have the right to send a written request for their child’s records and to receive a free copy within 10 school days.
- If the parents disagree with the district’s initial or triennial evaluations, parents have a right to request a district-funded independent educational evaluation (IEE). If the district agrees to the IEE, parents have the right to choose any qualified evaluator, regardless of whether or not that evaluator is on the district’s preferred list of evaluators.[2]
- Parents have the right to receive copies of IEE reports at the same time as the school district.
- Parents have a right to disagree with a change in their child’s placement, including removal due to expulsion, change of a child’s school, and graduation/issuance of a diploma, and can prevent the change in placement by invoking their “stay put” rights without delay by filing for a due process hearing. See Procedural Safeguards, linked below in footnote.[3]
- Parents are experts on their children and have the right to express disagreement with the school team. If the district refuses a request, parents have the right to receive Prior Written Notice. To resolve special education disagreements, parents have the right to request mediation with the district or to file for a due process hearing or to file a state complaint. See Procedural Safeguards.
TIP: Document important requests and important agreements/disagreements in polite email to the school district. If it’s not in writing, it never happened.
[1] Prepared 10/2025 by Diane Willcutts. Diane is not an attorney, and this is not legal advice. Most of this information is found in IDEA, the Connecticut Procedural Safeguards, and IEE guidance. Links are below.
[2] More detailed information is in the state’s IEE guidance, here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sde/digest/2017-18/iee-memo-and-guidance.pdf
[3] More detailed information is in the Procedural Safeguards, here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sde/special-education/prosaf.pdf
