Ohio Dept. of Education proposes changes to school placement policies

July 30, 2020

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) has shared proposed changes to the Ohio Administrative Code, including a change that could impact where a child goes to school by removing requirements for parental consent.

ODE has proposed a change to the rule on “Procedural Safeguards regarding Change of Placement” that removes parental consent for change of placement. They have indicated that the change of placement decision is an IEP team decision, of which the parent is a member.

There are concerns over the clarity of parental rights in this situation. We believe parents’ rights under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should be protected, and the existing language should remain.

We encourage you to share your perspective with the Ohio Department of Education. You can do so by submitting a public comment by this Friday, July 31.

  1. Read and review the original language, proposed changes on OAC 3301-51-05. Change of placement is on page 4.
  2. Draft your comments in opposition of the proposed change. A template is provided below.
  3. Email your comment to rulecomments@education.ohio.gov

 

TEMPLATE EMAIL FOR COMMENTS

Subject Line: Comment on Proposed Rule Change to OAC 3301-51-05 Procedural Safeguards

Message:

To whom it may concern,

I oppose the proposed change to OAC 3301-51-05 to remove the parental consent requirement for changes in placement. I oppose this change because it may diminish a parent's ability to participate in decisions about where their child receives an education and may make it more difficult to actively participate in the IEP process. The current rule prevents a child’s IEP team from overruling a parent’s opinion without having a thorough discussion about the child’s needs and explaining the reasons behind the school’s proposals.

[INSERT PERSONALIZED PARAGRAPH]

The consent requirement protects parents’ rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Please maintain this language in the rule.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]