School Discrimination

A goal of the National R-CIS Foundation of America is for children with R-CIS to be safe while at school and daycare and have the same access to educational opportunities as other children. The Foundation meets this goal by providing educational materials to help parents/guardians and school personnel understand how to best meet the medical and academic needs of a student with R-CIS. This information provided by this Web site can be used as a tool to make sure students, parents/guardians and school personnel understand their responsibilities and have the knowledge to work out potential problems or misunderstandings ahead of time.

Your School & Your Rights

Children with R-CIS sometimes face problems in obtaining the care they need in schools and day care centers. This brochure will help you understand the rights of children with R-CIS and what you can do to make sure your child receives fair treatment.

The Laws

Students with R-CIS have a right to a "free, appropriate public education" without discrimination. In addition, children in many private schools and day care centers are protected against discrimination on the basis of R-CIS.

Your Rights

As the parent or legal guardian of a child with R-CIS, you have the right:

To hold a meeting with school and school district personnel. You have the right to bring an advocate, attorney, and/or experts to this meeting to better.

To explain your child's R-CIS needs and management.

To develop a plan that specifically states your child's needs and the services required to meet these needs. You do not have to sign the plan if you do not agree with it. To begin implementation, you can sign the parts you agree with and not sign the parts that still require discussion.

To be notified of any proposed changes in your child's plan, to attend any meetings concerning proposed changes, and to approve any changes.

Addressing Discrimination

Educate

Educate your school personnel about R-CIS and how it affects your child. This is often achieved through training selected staff in the specific acts necessary to accommodate your child's needs.

Negotiate

During the process of developing your child's accommodation plan, you may need to negotiate with school officials. You do not have to sign a plan unless you agree to it. However, you are likely to reach agreement more easily if you attempt to understand the concerns of school personnel and negotiate toward an agreement suitable to everyone involved.

Litigate

If your child's needs are not being met, your have the right to file an administrative complaint or a lawsuit in court. The procedure you follow will vary. After exhausting your other options, seeking protection in the courts may be necessary to ensure that your child receives the education and care that he or she deserves.

For more information, see Laws Preventing Discrimination FAQ.

Legislate

If you find that the current laws and policies aren't providing your child - and other children with R-CIS - with the protection they need, your next step might be working to change the rules at either a local, statewide, or national level.

Legislation

Even though federal laws already provide protection for children with R-CIS, some state laws limit what non-medical personnel can do to help a student with R-CIS. The Foundation is working in several states to pass laws to make sure that there are trained school personnel available to provide assistance to students with R-CIS and that laws and rules are applied consistently throughout the state.