Back to School Q&A: What Connecticut Families Should Know About Their Education Rights 

A new school year can bring new questions, especially when a child is struggling with attendance, behavior, emotional needs, academics, or access to the right supports. 

Families do not have to wait until a situation becomes a crisis to ask questions or request help. Connecticut and federal law provide important protections for students, including students with disabilities, students facing disciplinary action, and children experiencing housing instability. 

CCA’s education advocacy team answers some common back-to-school questions to help Connecticut families better understand their rights and know what steps they can take when their child needs support. 

Every child’s situation is different. The information below is intended as general guidance and is not a substitute for legal advice about an individual case. 

Evaluations, IEPs, and 504 Plans 

Q: Can a school refuse to hold a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting for a student who has attendance issues? 

No! If a student has inconsistent or unsatisfactory attendance, the school must hold a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting to consider evaluating the student to determine if they have a disability and need special education. 

Q: If my child only has emotional/behavioral needs but does not have a learning disability, can they have an IEP?  

Yes! An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is warranted for any disability that is listed in the law (IDEA) and has an adverse impact on your child’s educational performance, such that your child requires specialized instruction in order to make educational progress. IEPs include specific learning goals, such as behavioral goals or goals for emotional regulation skills that your child would work on with a school social worker. IEPs also include accommodations and modifications, related services, and indirect supports for school staff to ensure they can properly deliver all the services your child needs to learn.   

Q: I think my child may need special education. How do I start the evaluation process? 

A parent can make a referral requesting that their child be evaluated for special education. 

We strongly advise parents to make the request in writing and clearly state that you believe your child may have a disability and are requesting an evaluation for special education eligibility. We recommend sending this referral to your child’s school principal, classroom teacher, and any other educators that are involved with your child.  A district must accept a written referral even if the parent does not use the school district’s standard referral form.  It is important to note that the date of this request starts the referral timeline. 

After receiving the referral, the district must convene a PPT to consider the request. In Connecticut, the process from the initial referral through evaluation, eligibility determination, and—if the child qualifies—implementation of the IEP generally must be completed within 45 school days, not counting the time needed to obtain parental consent.  

Q: What is the difference between an IEP and a 504 Plan? 

Both can protect students with disabilities, but they serve somewhat different purposes. 

An IEP is provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to an eligible student who has a qualifying disability and needs special education. It includes individualized goals, specialized instruction, related services, accommodations, and other supports the student needs to make educational progress. 

A Section 504 Plan protects students whose physical or mental impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities. A student may qualify for a 504 Plan even if they do not need specialized instruction through an IEP. A 504 Plan can provide accommodations, modifications, and related services that allow a student equal access to school programs and activities.  

If you are unsure which may be appropriate for your child, you can ask the school to discuss both possibilities. 

Behavior and School Discipline 

Q: My young child becomes emotionally disregulated at school. Can the principal keep calling me to take them home? 

A school cannot use repeated informal pickups as a substitute for addressing a child’s behavioral or disability-related needs. If a school requires a parent or guardian to pick up a student because of challenging behavior, Connecticut guidance treats that forced pickup as an out-of-school suspension. A disciplinary exclusion lasting more than 90 minutes is also treated as a suspension and must be documented appropriately.  

This is particularly important for younger students. Effective July 1, 2026, Connecticut limits out-of-school suspensions for students in preschool through second grade to circumstances involving serious physical harm.  

Repeated behavioral concerns can also trigger the district’s responsibility to consider whether the student may have a disability. For example, if a child has ADHD, significant emotional dysregulation, or another condition affecting their ability to participate successfully at school, a parent can request a PPT meeting and evaluation. 

While that process is underway, families can also ask what positive behavioral interventions and supports the school is using, whether behavioral data are being collected, and whether a behavior plan may be appropriate. 

If the school asks you to pick your child up because of behavior, ask the school to document the exclusion and explain the reason in writing. 

Q: Can an expulsion be removed from a student’s school record? 

Yes. With a limited exception for certain high school expulsions involving possession of a firearm or deadly weapon, Connecticut school districts must remove an expulsion from a student’s cumulative educational record when the student graduates from high school. 

A student can also ask the local board of education to remove the expulsion earlier. The board may consider the student’s conduct and behavior since the expulsion when deciding whether early removal is appropriate. 

Q: Is a student still entitled to an education while expelled? 

In many cases, yes. Connecticut requires districts to provide an alternative educational opportunity to any expelled student under age 16. 

Beginning July 1, 2026, districts must also provide an alternative educational opportunity to students ages 16 to 18 who are expelled for the first or second time, want to continue their education, and comply with conditions established by the school board. 

Students with disabilities may have additional rights under federal special education law. If a student has an IEP, the PPT has an important role in determining the educational services the student receives during an expulsion. The full guidelines can be found here. 

Q: If a student is entitled to alternative education while expelled, what are the requirements? 

Connecticut’s standards call for a full-time, comprehensive experience comparable to what a student would receive in a regular school environment. The program should allow the student to continue core coursework, make progress toward academic standards and graduation, and receive appropriate academic and behavioral supports. 

The State Department of Education has specifically noted that these standards are unlikely to be satisfied through homebound instruction alone. The full guidelines can be found here. 

Enrollment and Housing Instability 

Q: We are temporarily staying with relatives or friends because we lost our housing. Can my child still go to school? 

Yes—and your child may have additional protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. 

The definition of homelessness for education purposes is broader than many families realize. Depending on the circumstances, it can include children and families temporarily sharing housing with other people because they lost their housing or cannot obtain stable housing. 

Eligible students have rights that can include immediate enrollment even without documents normally required by a school, remaining in their school of origin when appropriate, transportation, free school meals, and access to the same programs and services available to other students. 

Every school district has a McKinney-Vento liaison who can help families understand and access these protections. 

Preparing to Advocate for Your Child 

Q: What should I bring to a PPT or important school meeting? 

You do not need to be an education expert to participate meaningfully in a meeting about your child. You know your child in ways that no one else at the table does. 

It can help to come prepared with: 

• A short list of your biggest concerns and the questions you want answered  

• Recent report cards, progress reports, evaluations, medical information, or relevant work samples  

• Emails or other communications that help document recurring concerns  

• Notes about what you are seeing at home or what your child has told you about school  

• Information about strategies or supports that have, or have not, worked  

• A way to take notes and/or record the meeting. Parents have the absolute right to record PPTs, but must notify all participants that they are recording the meeting. We often recommend recording for parents so that they can review the proceedings and have a clearer understanding of the next agreed-upon steps for their child. 

• A trusted person, advocate, or professional who can help you participate and understand the discussion  

Parents are members of the PPT and should be included in decisions about their child’s evaluation, eligibility, services, and IEP.  

Q: What if I disagree with what the school is recommending? 

You are allowed to disagree. Start by asking questions and clearly explaining your concerns. Put important requests in writing, keep copies of communications and records, and ask the school to explain decisions it makes about evaluations, services, placement, or supports. Make sure the school district records your concerns in the Parent Input sections of the IEP, and ensure that EVERY refusal the district makes is documented within a Prior Written Notice (PWN) form, which is attached to your child’s IEP. 

For special education matters, parents also have procedural safeguards and dispute-resolution options when disagreements cannot be resolved through the PPT process. 

You do not have to wait until the situation becomes unmanageable to ask for help. 

Know Your Rights. Ask Questions. Keep Records. 

When a child is struggling, families are often told to wait and see. Sometimes they may be asked to pick a child up repeatedly, accept that attendance prevents an evaluation, or assume that a student who is expelled simply has to fall behind. 

Parents have the right to ask questions, request evaluations, understand why decisions are being made, and advocate for supports that allow their children to participate meaningfully in school. 

Need Help Advocating for Your Child? 

Understanding education rights can be complicated, and every child’s situation is different. If your child is struggling at school, facing discipline, having difficulty accessing special education services, or experiencing another barrier to their education, CCA may be able to help. 

Contact the Center for Children’s Advocacy Education Team to learn more about your child’s rights and available support.