By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.
Imagine a student with a disability gets suspended several times for being disruptive in class and the combined days suspended total 10 days. Before the school suspends a student for 10 or more days, they must stop and ask: Was this behavior caused by the student’s disability?
That’s what a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR) is all about. It’s a meeting that ensures when a student with a disability breaks the rules, the behavior isn’t simply a manifestation of the disability. In other words, the MDR helps determine whether the supports in place are truly meeting the student’s needs.
The Role of IDEA
Students with disabilities are protected by a law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA requires schools to provide appropriate support to students with disabilities, including when they’re facing disciplinary actions.
For example, let’s say a student with autism has trouble dealing with loud noises and suddenly starts yelling after a classmate drops and shatters a glass beaker in science class. If the student has already been suspended for nine days this school year, the school cannot issue another suspension without first conducting an MDR. This would help the school determine if the outburst was related to the student’s disability. If it is, the school must find a better way to support the student instead of simply disciplining them again.
It’s a Team Effort
An MDR is more than just a meeting. It’s also a chance for the school to review the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) to see if it meets the student’s needs. If the student continues getting in trouble, it could mean the IEP isn’t effective or is not working as well as it should. For instance, the student may need noise cancelling headphones or extra support in learning how to ask for help. The MDR team can suggest updates to the IEP, so the student has a better chance to succeed.
An MDR meeting includes people who know the student well, particularly teachers, special education staff, and the students’ parents. This team comes together, and everyone shares what they know about the student to figure out what led to the behavior. This teamwork helps make more informed decisions. Parents can explain things from home and teachers can explain what’s going on in class. The hope is that when everyone works together, the student gets the support they need.
Keeping Students in School
When students are suspended or sent home, they miss out on learning. That makes it even harder for them to keep up when they return to class. An MDR helps prevent this by ensuring that students aren’t removed from school due to behaviors linked to their disability.
If the behavior is connected to the disability, the school must work on finding solutions, such as new strategies, added support, or changes to the classroom setting, instead of just suspending the student to get rid of “the problem.”
Understanding Not Punishment
An MDR helps schools focus on understanding, not just punishment. It reminds everyone that students with disabilities may act differently and they need support, not blame.
In the end, an MDR is about seeing the students’ needs, protecting their rights, and giving them the best chance to grow, learn, and succeed.
