Informed consent
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Informed consent is a parent's written, voluntary agreement to a specific school action after being fully told what it involves, and it can be revoked.
Topic: IDEA, law and procedure
In plain terms
Under IDEA, consent means the parent understands the activity, knows which records will be released and to whom, and agrees in writing. It is voluntary and can be revoked, though revoking does not undo something that already happened. Schools need consent before an initial evaluation, before first providing special education services, and before most reevaluations. Consent to evaluate is not consent to services; they are separate decisions.
How it shows up in an IEP
Consent is collected on forms the case manager tracks closely, because the evaluation timeline usually starts from the day consent is received. A parent can also revoke consent for all special education services in writing, which ends the IEP after prior written notice.
Example
A parent signs consent for a speech and language evaluation but asks to talk with the school psychologist before consenting to cognitive testing. The team schedules the evaluations separately.
The rule
Federal reference: 34 CFR §300.9, 34 CFR §300.300.
Related terms
- Procedural safeguardsProcedural safeguards are the rights IDEA gives parents and students, and the steps schools must follow, to keep special education decisions fair.
- Prior written noticePrior written notice is the explanation a school must give parents before it proposes or refuses a change to a child's evaluation, placement or services.
- Evaluation (special education)A special education evaluation is the set of assessments a school uses to decide whether a child has a disability and what services the child needs.
- Reevaluation (triennial)A reevaluation is a new look at a student's needs and eligibility, required at least every three years unless the parent and school agree it is not needed.
- Child FindChild Find is the duty of every state and school district to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities who may need special education.
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