What is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act?

What is FAPE?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was enacted by Congress in 1975 as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. This legislation is the foundation for the imposition upon Boards of Education of legal obligations regarding special education. IDEA requires that “all children with disabilities have available a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living…” IDEA defines FAPE as:

The term “free appropriate public education” means special education and related services that

1. have been provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge;
2. meet the standards of the State educational agency;
3. include an appropriate preschool, elementary school, or secondary school education in the State involved; and
4. are provided in conformity with the individualized education program.

IDEA Requirements

IDEA provides that your public school district, referred to in IDEA as the local education agency or LEA, be responsible for ensuring that each child with a disability within their district receives special education and related services designed to meet their unique individual needs. In view of the varying needs of each child impaired by a disability, no specific standard is established to determine if the school district is providing an “appropriate” education.

The U.S. Supreme Court addressed the definition of FAPE in Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley, where it held that a school district did not have to provide a full-time sign language interpreter as a necessary part of an appropriate public education program. The school district’s only obligation was to meet the requirements of the IDEA and provide individual instruction intended to confer a “reasonable educational benefit, not maximum educational opportunities” to children with disabilities.

The word “free” means that the cost of providing special education and related services is the responsibility of the public school district in which the child resides and cannot be passed along to a child’s parent. FAPE is an unqualified right and a school district will not be excused because of expense from providing specific special education needs to a particular child.

Maya Murphy P.C. has proudly been included in the 2024 Edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked among the top firms in the nation. In addition, Managing Partner Joseph C. Maya has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for his work in Employment Law and Education Law in Connecticut. Recognition in Best Lawyers® is awarded to firms and attorneys who demonstrate excellence in the industry, and is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor.

Our firm in Westport, Connecticut serves clients with legal assistance all over the state, including the towns of: Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Branford, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Cheshire, Danbury, Darien, Derby, East Haven, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middlebury, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Haven, Newton, North Branford, North Haven, Norwalk, Orange, Oxford, Prospect, Redding, Ridgefield, Seymour, Shelton, Sherman, Southbury, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Wallingford, Waterbury, West Haven, Weston, Westport, Wilton, and Woodbridge. In addition to assisting clients in Connecticut, our firm handles education law and employment law matters in New York as well. 

If you have any questions about employment law or education law in Connecticut, or would like to speak to an attorney about a legal matter, please contact Joseph C. Maya and the other experienced attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. at (203) 221-3100 or JMaya@Mayalaw.com to schedule a free initial consultation today.