FAPE

FAPE stands for “Free Appropriate Public Education.” Every student has a right to free education, including those with disabilities. FAPE was created and is guaranteed by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). 

Why It’s Important 

FAPE is important for individuals with developmental disabilities to ensure that their right to an adequate education is protected under the law. FAPR is also important for educators to ensure that they are giving every student the highest quality education possible, based on their individualized needs. FAPE may be seen as an accountability tool, but it really is the bare miminium that every student has a high quality education, regardless of whether or not they have a disability.

How FAPE works

Special education (in public schools) is Free for students with developmental disabilities, with no cost coming to their parents or guardians. The exception of this would be if the student needs some personal form of assistive technology that the school may not be able to provide. 

Appropriate education is ensuring that children with developmental disabilities are given individualized education, such as an IEP or Section 504 Plan. With children having an IEP or Section 504 Plan that need one or both of these, they are receiving the appropriate education based on their needs, as long as it is being fulfilled in reaching progress in each student's overall learning.  

Public Education is free, and parents have the right to choose where their children go to school. In some cases, if the public school doesn’t provide appropriate education, based on the individual's needs, Forest Grove School District vs. T.A. Ruled that the parents were to be reimbursed for bringing their child to a private school due to the public school not providing an adequate education for their child who was in special education. 

Moving Forward

With all being said, it's important that individuals aren't being denied their right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education under any circumstances. Advocacy for proper education continues to be difficult due to shortages across the country in special education teachers, making it more extraneous at times for schools to adequately provide FAPE to all students as they are intended to do. However, the work to fulfill FAPE to students is never impossible; so not only should there be hope, but there shall be adequate answers to the ongoing environments of special education to ensure that every student is given a Free and Appropriate Public Education to meet their specific needs in the classroom.