IDEA is the federal law governing grants to states to ensure that children with disabilities, age birth to 20, are identified for timely evaluation and, if eligible, provided appropriate services in the least restrictive setting.

Birth to Age Twenty

In Maine, the rule chapter that is specific to the education of children with disabilities is Maine Department of Education Regulations, Chapter 101, Maine Unified Special Education Regulation Birth to Age Twenty (MUSER).

The Procedural Safeguards set forth in the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations are the rights that apply when children are: in the referral process for special education: or already identified under special education; or whose parents believe should be identified under special education. If the student is an adult student, the rights apply to the adult student. The School Administrative Unit must provide a copy of the Procedural Safeguards to parents or adult students once a year, and more than once a year if specifically required under the regulations. Strong advocacy by parents and students depends on their awareness of both these safeguards and the rights those safeguards protect.

(FERPA)

These federal regulations set forth the requirements that States must follow in protecting the confidentiality of education records.