I support the existing requirements for Child Study Committees, including parental participation in the referral process. Under the proposed regulations, parents may be eliminated from the screening process, thus depriving school personnel of an invaluable source of information about the child. This proposed regulation sends a clear message that parental participation is of no importance to school staff.

IDEA encourages parental involvement and parental participation at every step of the special education process:

 

As my child's parent, I have an expertise that absolutely no one else has, and that is vitally important to be considered in any decision regarding my child's eligibility for special education services, and for provision of those services.

 The proposed regulation discourages parental participation and involvement, and as such, it does not benefit children with disabilities and their parents.