“The secret in education lies in respecting the student.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have come a long way since children were warehoused in institutions with no future or a real education. One giant leap forward was the enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975, which for the first time required schools to educate all students with disabilities—including students with I/DD.

The IDEA lays out a process that schools must follow to identify which children with disabilities require additional services to learn, and which supports and services a child needs. That process often leads to the development and implementation of an individualized education program (IEP). The IEP is the roadmap for that child to succeed. The IDEA has led to a generation of people with I/DD whose education opened doors to employment and meaningful lives in the community. However, far too many families and students do not experience an IEP process where their role and their rights are clear and respected. Instead, they feel left out of the process, which is often overwhelming and confusing.

So in 2016, The Arc launched a new initiative, The Arc@School, to build the capacity of The Arc’s nationwide network of chapters to support students with I/DD and their families in developing and implementing IEPs that will help students with I/DD graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary education and employment.

Many students and their families seek advocates to help them understand the IEP process and their rights, and many chapters of The Arc provide lay special education advocacy services for students with I/DD and their families. The Arc@School’s newly-launched website aims to be an online resource for students with disabilities, their parents, and advocates that includes information, best practices, and a resource directory, where you can find links and contact information for chapters of The Arc, protection and advocacy programs, parent centers, and state education agencies in your state.

A successful IEP is the foundation for a future in the community, leading a life of one’s own choosing. If we are to improve outcomes for students with I/DD, we must follow Emerson’s guidance and focus on an IEP approach that respects the student’s goals to achieve his or her dreams.