Written Parental Consent Required for IEPs

HB2304 establishes a clear and direct requirement: before a school may implement an individualized education program for a child, parents must provide written consent. This closes a gap that has allowed IEPs to move forward through passive acquiescence, silence, or procedural default rather than genuine, informed parental agreement. For families of children with disabilities, this is not a procedural technicality — it is the difference between being heard and being processed.

Scripture is clear that children are a gift entrusted to parents, not to institutions. Psalm 127 and the commands of Deuteronomy 6 place the formation of children squarely in the hands of families. When government systems — however well-intentioned — make consequential decisions about a child's educational path without authentic parental buy-in, they usurp a role that belongs to the family. Written consent requirements restore that proper order in a concrete and enforceable way.

The IEP is not a minor administrative form. It governs how a child is taught, what goals are set, what services are provided, and how progress is measured. For children with disabilities, it shapes the entire school experience and can affect long-term development and opportunity. Requiring written parental consent before that document takes effect treats parents as what they are: the primary advocates and decision-makers for their children.

The bill's 10-1 committee passage reflects a recognition across perspectives that parental consent in this context is a matter of basic justice. The American Council supports HB2304 because it affirms family integrity, protects vulnerable children, and holds institutions accountable to the families they serve rather than the other way around.