What is Manifestation Determination?
Under the 'Individuals with Disabilities Education act' in 1997 the US Government wrote a law stating how public agencies provide interventions to students with disabilities. It is, essentially, a plan for children who have disabilities to protect them from seclusion for misbehaviour related to their disability. The manifestation determination asks the vital question; is there a substantial relation between the child's disability and the misbehaviour?
The manifestation determination is usd for 504 students or for special Ed. students. When a student who files under one of these catagories uses up ten days suspension (which does not need to be consecutive days and is within the school year) then their case is referred for a manifestation determination.
The most relevant members of the IEP team meat to discuss if the behaviour is:
1) A direct result of their disability.
2) A result of the school's failure to implement the IEP.
If either 1 or 2 is applicable to the situation the misbehaviour conduct will be determined to be in manifestation of the child's disability.
Below is an example of a manifestation determination form.