Effective February 18, 2009
About A Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal
Process (ARD Guide)
The ARD Guide is produced to implement Texas Education
Code (TEC) Section 26.0081 requiring the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to create
a comprehensive, easily understood document which explains the individualized
education program (IEP) process for a student in a special education program.
Additionally, the ARD Guide incorporates a parents’ rights and
responsibilities concerning the ARD process.
The ARD Guide contains information that parents need
to effectively participate in an ARD committee meeting for their child. The
ARD Guide is intended to be a companion document to, not a replacement
for, the Procedural Safeguards,
which identifies parents’ rights and responsibilities in federal law.
The purpose of the ARD Guide is to encourage a common understanding
for parents, school personnel, and communities of the IEP process for a student
with disabilities.
The ARD Guide is intended to be a living document. In order for it to reflect timely and accurate information, the ARD Guide will be reviewed on a regular basis. The most current version of the ARD Guide will contain a production date on the cover and in the footer of the document.
ARD Guide Addendum
In February 2009, the TEA developed the ARD Guide Addendum to address supplemental federal regulations that became effective in December 31, 2008. Information about the dissemination of ARD Guide Addendum can be found at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/guidance/suppfedregs.html.
Dissemination
LEAs are required to provide the most current version of the ARD Guide
to parents of students with disabilities prior to the first ARD committee meeting
or upon a parent’s request. LEAs are responsible for the initial dissemination
of the ARD Guide; however, once a parent receives a copy of the ARD
Guide, updated versions may be provided by the LEA upon request.
Documentation
Schools are encouraged to maintain a record of dissemination in the child’s
eligibility folder in case of compliance review through the State’s monitoring
system.
Language Requirements
Currently, the ARD Guide is available in English and Spanish only.
Production
Education service centers (ESCs) will continue to assist the State in the production
of the ARD Guide. However, if an ESC cannot provide copies to a local
education agency (LEA), the LEA (school district or charter school) is responsible
for producing and disseminating the current version of the ARD Guide
to parents available on the Region 18 Education Service Center's Legal
Framework IDEA 2004 Web site.
Technical Assistance
LEAs may contact their regional
ESC for the most current copies of the ARD Guide or produce their
own copies for dissemination. Parents should contact their school district or
charter school for a copy of updates to the ARD Guide. Parents can
contact the following Parent Resources to help with understanding the special
education process or call the Texas Education Agency's toll free Parent Information
Line.
Parent Resources
Texas Project FIRST (Families
Information Resources Support and Training) is a project of the Texas Education
Agency and is committed to providing accurate and consistent information to
parents & families of students with disabilities.
The Partners Resource Network (PRN) is a non-profit agency that operates the statewide network of federally funded Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI's) in Texas. The programs and services of PRN are based on the concept of parents helping parents. The mission of PRN is to empower parents of children and youth with disabilities in their roles as parents, decision makers, and advocates for their children and to promote partnerships among parents and professionals
TEA Toll Free Parent Information Line: 1-800-252-9668
This toll free message line is reserved for parents and other family members
who have questions about student rights and regulatory requirements as they
relate to special education complaint investigations, mediations, and due process
hearings. Calls are returned by trained professionals during normal business
hours. For Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: TTY Number: (512) 475-3540
Relay Texas 7-1-1.
Texas Education Agency | Division of IDEA Coordination
1701 North Congress Avenue | Austin, Texas 78701-1494
Telephone: 512.463.9414 | Fax: 512.463.9560
Last Updated: February 18, 2009 | Created: February 6, 2007
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