LEGAL AID SERVICE
OF COLLIER COUNTY

About

Services

 

EDUCATION LEGAL RIGHTS PROJECT

The Education Legal Rights Project of Collier County provides legal representation to children and parents when the child’s needs are not being met in the school.  The child may need additional services due to a learning disability, physical, mental or emotional disability, other health impairment, or another disabling condition under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  According to this Act, children and parents have the right to a free and appropriate public education, which may require special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs.  Legal Aid Service of Collier County provides services that include:

• Assisting students in receiving timely testing by the school district
• IDEA eligibility determinations and proper placement
• Ensuring the child receives appropriate and effective special education services in a timely manner
• Representation of students at individual education plan (IEP) meetings
• If necessary, obtaining a free and independent psychological evaluation from professionals outside the school  system
• Working with children and parents on their Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
• If necessary, representation at administrative hearings and due process hearings and in litigation
• Referrals as appropriate to outside social service organizations


Intake:

Call (239) 775-4555 from Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Helpful Websites:

Collier School News
Local Schools
News-Press Education
Collier Exceptional Student Education    
Collier School Board 
CADRE Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education
Council for Exceptional Children
Curriculum Warehouse
Education Sector Issues Special Education
ERIC - Education Resources Information Center
Family Network on Disabilities of Florida, Inc
Free Appropriate Public Education
Inclusive Classrooms and Communities
Learning Disability OnLine
Mayerslaw
NICHCY National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights
Sharing The Commitment  
Special Education Law 
The Law and Special Education
Wrightslaw 
Admin Code-Fla ESE -  Florida Administrative Code Administrative Rules
APA  - Administrative Procedure Act
Fla DOE ESE - The Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services 
Florida Statutes Chapter 1003
Florida Statutes Chapter 1006
NAEP - Information for Parents
OCR - Office of Civil Rights 
OSEP- Office of Special Education Programs
OSERS- Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services
USDOE-IDEA 2004 US Department of Education IDEA

 
Helpful Websites:

Florida Kinship Center
The Annie E. Casey Foundation

Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
GUARDIAN AD LITEM
Department of Children and Families including online public assistance application                
Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation