The author of this article is a non-attorney advocate. Therefore, the contents in its entirety, should not be construed as legal advice, but rather the opinion of the author. Always seek legal advice from a qualified attorney. You’ve done the hard part—you requested a comprehensive special education evaluation for your child. But now you’ve been handed a “parent intake form,” and you’re staring at personal questions about your relationship with your ex, details about your div

Your parental safeguards under federal and state special education law are designed to protect you and your child from discrimination or violations by the school district, not the other parent. That means these laws don’t always account for the complicated power dynamics that can play out when you're co-parenting with someone who is manipulative, intimidating, or abusive.

Navigating your child’s IEP process is rarely simple—but for domestic violence survivors who are still co-parenting with their abuser, it can be overwhelming, retraumatizing, and often unsafe. Many survivors are in the difficult position of continuing to share legal custody of their child, without a court finding under Family Code § 3044 or a finalized Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO). Unfortunately, getting these protections in place can take months—or even years—a