The Law Office of Lillian E. Wong
A Massachusetts Special Education Attorney

Massachusetts General Law chapter 71B section 3 (which became effective on January 8, 2009) grants parents and parent-designated consultants the right to observe their child's current or proposed program.  Observation offers valuable insight into the program, often more valuable than the written description of the program in the draft IEP.  Through observation, parents and their designees can experience first-hand the program's physical environment, the skill and demeanor of classroom personnel, and the types of other students participating in the program.    Through observation parents become more informed about the optimal placement for their child.