Parent's Rights

Several times throughout the special education process, parent’s rights are given to parents in a procedural safeguard notice. A very short summary of these rights is provided here. For a complete copy of these rights, ask the special education teacher at your child’s school, or call the Special Education Office (520-545-2094).

• Right to informed consent on evaluations and placement
• Right to be involved in all decision making
• Right to examine records
• Right to obtain an independent evaluation
• Right to Prior Written Notice
• Right to due process
• Right to appeal decisions
• Right to ‘stay put’ in child’s current placement
• Right to information on discipline procedures
• Right to voluntary mediation
• Right to notification of assigned surrogate parent
• Right to information on transfer of rights at age 18
• Responsibility to notify school of private placement

There are several ways to help resolve a dispute with any of the special education decisions made regarding your child. The first is to talk to your child’s school team, which means the regular classroom teacher, the special education teacher, and the principal. Next, you should call the Special Education Office and talk to the Coordinator (520-545-2094). If you have not been able to resolve the problem at the district level, then it is time to involve the Arizona Department of Education. You can file a complaint, request a mediation meeting with a neutral mediator to facilitate the process, or request a due process hearing which may involve lawyers and witnesses.

Here are some names and numbers in case you are in need of assistance:

    Sue Tillis, Special Education Director
    Sunnyside School District
    545-2094

    Arizona Department of Education
    Phoenix
    1-800-352-4558

    Arizona Department of Education
    Tucson
    628-6330

    Parent Information Specialists (PINS)
    Shirley Hilts-Scott
    (520) 749-3942