Jargon Decoded: A Field Guide to Acronym Soup

Federal Programs & Laws

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)

The law that accidentally makes public schools actually serve children with disabilities. Federal law requiring free, appropriate, public education (FAPE) for children with disabilities ages 0–21. Divided into Part C (birth–3, Early Intervention) and Part B (ages 3–21, school special education).

IDEA Part C (Early Intervention)

The government's way of saying "we'll pay for therapy before your child turns three, but not after." Federal mandate for states to provide free developmental services (speech, OT, PT) to children birth to 3 with disabilities or delays. Services provided through state agencies, often at no cost to families.

IDEA Part B (School Special Education)

Where the government hands special ed to teachers and runs away. Federal mandate for schools to provide free special education and related services to children ages 3–21 with qualifying disabilities. Includes evaluations, IEPs, and therapy services.

Section 504 Plan

Special education's lighter cousin, for when your child needs accommodations but not actual services. Civil rights protection providing accommodations (extra time, modified curriculum, accessibility changes) for students with disabilities that substantially limit major life activities. Fewer legal protections than special education but appropriate for some children.

IEP (Individualized Education Program)

A legally enforceable document the school hopes you won't read. Written plan required by IDEA Part B outlining a child's special education services, goals, accommodations, and support. Created annually at an IEP meeting with parents, teachers, and specialists.

IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan)

An IEP for your whole family, which is either supportive or invasive depending on your family. Plan used in Early Intervention (Part C) that identifies family priorities and outlines services for the child and family, focusing on family strengths and needs.

IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation)

A second opinion the school will definitely not want you to get. Evaluation performed by an independent professional (not employed by the school) at public expense if you disagree with the school's evaluation. Can be requested as part of due process.

Prior Written Notice

The school's way of telling you they're about to do something to your IEP. Legal requirement for schools to notify parents in writing of proposed changes to special education (evaluation, placement, services) with 10 days to respond before implementation.

FBA (Functional Behavior Analysis)

A deep dive into why your child is losing their mind, disguised as science. Assessment identifying the function of a child's behavior (what they're trying to accomplish with it) to inform behavior intervention plans.

BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan)

The school's official strategy for making behavioral problems your problem. Written plan addressing challenging behaviors using positive strategies, consequences, and teaching alternatives. Part of many special education IEPs.

Disability Benefits & Government Programs

SSI (Supplemental Security Income)

Free government money if your family is poor and your child has a disability. Federal cash benefit program for low-income individuals with disabilities. Children must qualify based on disability diagnosis and family income/resources below set limits.

SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance)

Social Security for people whose parents worked really hard at a job. Cash benefits based on a parent's work history and Social Security taxes paid, not on family income. Most children don't qualify unless a parent has died or has a disability.

Medicaid

Health insurance the government designed for poor people and accidentally made better for disability. State-run health insurance program for low-income individuals and families, and for people with disabilities regardless of income in some states. Covers medical care, therapy, and in many states, long-term waiver services.

Medicaid Waiver (HCBS)

How your state says it will pay for your child's care... in four to eight years on the waiting list. Waiver allowing states to use Medicaid to fund home and community-based services (therapy, respite, supported employment, residential support) instead of institutional care. Most states have multi-year waiting lists.

EPSDT (Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment)

Medicaid's comprehensive child health program that every parent should know about and nobody does. Medicaid benefit providing preventive health screening, diagnosis, and treatment for children under 21, including dental, vision, hearing, developmental screening, and therapy.

CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program)

Medicaid's roommate, for families who make just enough to be poor but not poor enough. State health insurance program for children in families with income above Medicaid limits but below marketplace threshold. Covers similar services to Medicaid but with different eligibility.

ABLE Account

A secret savings tool nobody tells you about that lets you keep money without losing benefits. Tax-advantaged savings account for people with disabilities with annual contribution limits and account balance limits (both indexed to inflation and change yearly). See ablenrc.org for current limits.

Special Needs Trust

How rich people make sure their child with a disability stays eligible for government benefits. Legal arrangement allowing someone to hold money for a person with a disability without making them ineligible for needs-based benefits like SSI and Medicaid. Requires attorney and ongoing management.

PASS (Plan to Achieve Self-Support)

Social Security's way of encouraging people with disabilities to work without, ironically, making it easier to work. Work incentive allowing Social Security beneficiaries (SSI or SSDI) to set aside income and resources for a specific work goal without losing benefits temporarily.

Special Needs Trust (SNT)

A legal magic trick that holds money without destroying your child's benefits. Trust arrangement holding money for a person with disability without making them ineligible for SSI and Medicaid. Can be third-party (funded by relatives, no Medicaid payback) or self-settled first-party (funded with beneficiary's own money, requires Medicaid payback at death, 42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(A)).

Countable Resources

Money the government counts when deciding if you're poor enough for benefits. Assets that count toward SSI and Medicaid resource limits, including cash, bank accounts, vehicles beyond one, stocks, bonds. Excludes home, one vehicle, household goods, ABLE accounts, personal property (42 USC 1382b).

Representative Payee (Rep Payee)

The person Social Security appoints to handle your child's money because your child can't. Person appointed by SSA to receive and manage SSI or Social Security benefits on behalf of the beneficiary. Required for minors; optional for adults determined incapable of managing benefits (SSA POMS GN 00603.000).

In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM)

The SSI rule that punishes you for paying for shelter or food with trust money. SSI reduction triggered when someone else pays for the beneficiary's food or shelter, counted as in-kind income (SSA POMS SI 00835.000). Trusts must be careful to avoid ISM penalties.

Pooled Trust

A shared special needs trust for people who can't afford their own trust. Nonprofit-managed master trust holding accounts for multiple beneficiaries with disabilities (42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(C)). Lower cost than individual trusts; still requires Medicaid payback at death (for self-settled accounts).

Third-Party Trust

How relatives leave money without wrecking benefits. Trust funded by someone other than the beneficiary (parent, grandparent, relative, friend). Does not trigger Medicaid payback at death. Protected by law and does not count as beneficiary resource (42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(B)).

First-Party Trust / Self-Settled Trust

What you do when your child already has their own money and you want to protect benefits. Trust funded with beneficiary's own money (settlement, inheritance, back-pay) created before age 65 (42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(A)). Protects SSI and Medicaid but requires Medicaid payback from trust estate at beneficiary's death.

Trustee

The person or organization legally responsible for managing money in a trust. Person or entity appointed in a trust document to hold and manage trust assets, make spending decisions on behalf of the beneficiary, and file required accountings with SSA or Medicaid.

Therapies & Treatments

ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis)

Intensive therapy that helps some children a lot, helps others a little, and is exhausting for everyone involved. Evidence-based intervention using positive reinforcement and behavioral principles to teach skills and reduce challenging behaviors. Often 20–40 hours/week. Many states mandate insurance coverage for autism.

OT (Occupational Therapy)

Therapy to help your child do everyday stuff, despite the name having nothing to do with jobs. Therapy addressing fine motor skills, self-care (eating, dressing, toileting), sensory processing, and functional daily activities.

PT (Physical Therapy)

Making your child's body work right, one exercise at a time. Therapy addressing gross motor skills, strength, coordination, balance, and mobility (walking, running, sitting, movement).

SLP (Speech-Language Pathology)

Therapy for speech, language, or why your child won't eat normally. Therapy addressing speech production, language comprehension/expression, feeding/swallowing, voice, and pragmatic communication.

Developmental Coaching

Like ABA but somebody's mom developed it and it's less intense. Early intervention service focused on coaching parents to use natural learning opportunities to build child's skills in home and community.

Sensory Integration Therapy

Therapy for children whose brains can't figure out what their bodies are telling them. Therapy using movement, touch, and sensory activities to help children process sensory information and organize motor responses. Evidence-based for occupational therapy.

Vision Therapy

Eye exercises to train your brain to see better, because your eyes are fine but your brain isn't cooperating. Therapy to improve visual processing, eye tracking, focusing, and coordination. Not the same as glasses.

Disability Diagnoses & Medical Terms

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A spectrum so wide it includes children who don't talk and children who don't shut up, and also children in between. Neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent differences in social communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors. Typically diagnosed by age 3 but can be earlier or later. Lifelong, not curable, but supports help.

Down Syndrome

Genetic condition with forty-seven chromosomes instead of forty-six, and also better self-advocacy than most other disabilities. Genetic condition (trisomy 21) causing intellectual disability and characteristic physical features. Lifelong. Requires medical follow-up for cardiac, thyroid, and other health concerns. Many adults work and live semi-independently with support.

Developmental Delay

Your child isn't meeting milestones, but we're not calling it a disability yet. When a child is not meeting developmental milestones in one or more areas (speech, motor, cognitive, social-emotional, self-care). Used in Early Intervention instead of diagnostic labels.

Intellectual Disability

Significant limitations in both thinking and adaptive behavior, often but not always measured by IQ. Significant limitation in intellectual functioning (typically IQ below 70) and adaptive behavior across multiple areas, with onset before age 18.

Speech-Language Impairment

Your child's communication doesn't match their age, which is technically different from autism but often shows up together. Disorder affecting speech production, language comprehension/expression, fluency, or voice. IDEA disability category qualifying for special education if it impacts education.

Cerebral Palsy (CP)

A movement disorder caused by brain damage early on that doesn't get worse, despite the existential fear that it might. Non-progressive movement disorder caused by brain damage during fetal development or early infancy affecting muscle tone, coordination, and movement control.

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

Your child can't focus, won't sit still, and medication sometimes helps and sometimes makes it weirder. Neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Often co-occurs with autism. Typically managed with behavioral strategies and sometimes medication.

Hyperlexia

Your child is reading at a third-grade level at age four, which is great until you realize they don't understand anything. Ability to read significantly beyond age level, sometimes without comprehension. Often seen in autism. Not the same as giftedness.

Dyspraxia

Your child knows what they want to do with their body but their body isn't getting the message. Neurological condition affecting motor planning and coordination. Difficulty organizing movements to accomplish intended tasks despite physical ability.

Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

Your child's brain knows what to say but can't tell their mouth how to say it. Speech disorder affecting motor planning for speech production. Child knows what they want to say but has difficulty coordinating the movements needed to produce speech sounds clearly.

School & Education Terms

LRE (Least Restrictive Environment)

The buzzword that means different things to different people and starts every special ed fight. IDEA requirement that children with disabilities be educated with peers without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate, with removal to separate settings only when education in mainstream settings cannot be achieved with supports.

FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education)

The school's legal obligation to provide education that actually works for your child, or at least try to. IDEA requirement that schools provide free, specialized education tailored to each child's needs. "Appropriate" is defined by the IEP and is legally enforceable.

Self-Contained Classroom

The separate classroom where special ed children spend most of the day, which used to be called segregation. Special education classroom where students with disabilities receive instruction separate from general education. May include some mainstream class time (inclusion) depending on IEP.

Inclusion

Your child with a disability gets to sit in the regular classroom, even if the teacher secretly wishes they weren't there. Educational practice of placing students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms with peers without disabilities, with support services as needed. Also called mainstreaming.

Resource Room

The classroom children go to for special instruction, which is sometimes helpful and sometimes just isolation with extra steps. Special education classroom where students spend part of the day (e.g., 1–2 hours) receiving targeted instruction, returning to mainstream classroom for other subjects.

Transition Plan

The thing the school is legally required to do starting at age 14 or 16 to prepare your child for life after graduation, which happens more or less depending on the school. Part of IEP for students 14+ (or 16+) addressing post-secondary goals: work, education, independent living. Required by IDEA.

RTI (Response to Intervention)

A system for catching academic problems early by intervening with children who are struggling, theoretically before they need special ed. Framework using tiered interventions of increasing intensity to help struggling students before special education referral. Measures progress to determine if intervention is working.

504 Coordinator

The school's person responsible for Section 504 compliance, who may or may not understand what that means. School staff member assigned to oversee Section 504 plans and ensure non-discrimination accommodations for students with disabilities.

Due Process

The legal process for when you and the school can't agree, which is expensive and scary but sometimes necessary. Legal proceeding to resolve disputes between parents and schools about special education services. Can result in compensatory services, reimbursement for private services, or other remedies if school violated IDEA.

Your Next Step

Bookmark this page. When you're drowning in a school meeting and someone says "we're going to look at FBA data to inform the BIP," you'll know exactly what they mean (and that it's probably fine, or it's not, but at least you understand the words).