Which principle requires that students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE)?

Which principle requires that students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE)?

• A. FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education)
• B. Equal Funding for All Districts
• C. Mandatory Standardized Testing
• D. Inclusion in General Curriculum

Answer: (A)

A free appropriate public education is the guarantee that under IDEA every student with a disability receives an education that is both free of charge and tailored to the individual’s needs, with an individualized education program guiding the supports and services provided. This means the education is intended to help the student make meaningful progress and is delivered in the public system at public expense, including appropriate related services and supports. It also aligns with providing the education in the least restrictive environment unless the IEP determines a different arrangement is necessary. The other concepts—funding levels, mandatory tests, or general inclusion in the curriculum—are important elements of the education system, but they do not themselves establish the legal entitlement to a free appropriate education that IDEA guarantees.

A free appropriate public education is the guarantee that under IDEA every student with a disability receives an education that is both free of charge and tailored to the individual’s needs, with an individualized education program guiding the supports and services provided. This means the education is intended to help the student make meaningful progress and is delivered in the public system at public expense, including appropriate related services and supports. It also aligns with providing the education in the least restrictive environment unless the IEP determines a different arrangement is necessary.

The other concepts—funding levels, mandatory tests, or general inclusion in the curriculum—are important elements of the education system, but they do not themselves establish the legal entitlement to a free appropriate education that IDEA guarantees.