Guidance for IEP Teams Working With Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities: Assessment, Instruction, and Placement

The purpose of special education, as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and reiterated by the United States Supreme Court in Endrew F v. Douglas County School District, 580 U.S. (2017), is to ensure that all children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.