NBPTS Exceptional Needs Specialist Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Prep Resource

The purpose of compensatory education is to help children catch up on services missed due to the denial of Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). When a student with disabilities has not received the services or support they are entitled to under special education laws, compensatory education serves as a remedy. It aims to provide the necessary educational benefits that the student missed out on because of these inadequacies.

In scenarios where there has been a violation such as delays in assessment, improper implementation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), or failure to provide sufficient services, compensatory education facilitates a way for the student to regain lost educational ground and ensure they can make adequate progress in their learning. This recognizes their right to a proper education and seeks to rectify any educational loss incurred.

In contrast, enhancing academic skills, providing transportation for students, or addressing social-emotional learning needs does not constitute the primary focus of compensatory education. Those areas, while important, do not specifically target the rectification of services that were not delivered as mandated by law.