Opinion ID: 77196
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Free and Appropriate Public Education

Text: 48 The IDEA, as the successor to the Education of the Handicapped Act, represents an ambitious federal effort to promote the education of handicapped children. Bd. of Educ. of Hendrick Hudson Cent. Sch. Dist. v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176, 179, 102 S.Ct. 3034, 3037, 73 L.Ed.2d 690 (1982). All children with disabilities, such as C.M.'s hearing impairment, who, by reason thereof, need[] special education and related services fall within the IDEA's scope. 20 U.S.C. § 1401(3)(A) & (B). Special education means specially designed instruction . . . to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, and includes instruction in the classroom, home, physical education, and other settings. 20 U.S.C. § 1401(29)(A) & (B). Related services include transportation, and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services including speech-language pathology and audiology services. . . as may be required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education . . . . 20 U.S.C. § 1401(26)(A) (internal parentheses omitted). 49 The IDEA achieves its goals by guaranteeing students with disabilities a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Loren F. v. Atlanta Independent Sch. Sys., 349 F.3d 1309, 1311 (11th Cir.2003); Sch. Bd. of Collier County v. K.C., 285 F.3d 977, 979 (11th Cir.2002); see 20 U.S.C. § 1400(d)(1)(A) (stating that a principal purpose of the IDEA is to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs). In turn, a FAPE is defined as special education services that: 50 (A) have been provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge; 51 (B) meet the standards of the State educational agency; 52 (C) include an appropriate preschool, elementary school, or secondary school education in the State involved; and 53 (D) are provided in conformity with the individualized education program required under section 1414(d) . . . . 54 20 U.S.C. § 1401(9). Furthermore, [t]he services and placement needed by each child with a disability to receive a FAPE must be based on the child's unique needs and not on the child's disability. 34 C.F.R. § 300.300(a)(3)(ii).