Special Education

Court finds that student’s violent behavior was not a manifestation of his disability

Judge Kennedy

April 8, 2024

An eighth-grader and his mother contested the results of a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR), which found that a 10-day suspension was not a manifestation of the student’s disabilities.  The mother... Read More

Court sides with school district, rejects student’s request for independent evaluation

Judge Barnes

February 27, 2024

A third-grade student and his mother requested that his school district fund an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense to assess his disabilities and educational needs. This request was... Read More

Judge grants involuntary dismissal due to insufficient evidence of multiple IDEA violations

Judge Fry

February 7, 2024

A student and his parents sought relief under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) following allegations that the school district failed to properly and timely evaluate the student using... Read More

Student and parents waived right to bring certain IDEA claims when they consented to settlement

Judge Kennedy

January 30, 2024

About one month after signing an agreement with the school district to settle a due-process complaint brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a student and his parents... Read More

Court finds insufficient evidence linking student’s alleged mood disorder to violent episodes

Judge Teate

January 18, 2024

A high school student and her parent sought to overturn the results of a manifestation-determination review, which had concluded that the student’s incidences of physical violence against a peer and... Read More

One-hour bus ride for student receiving special-education services found acceptable under IDEA

Judge Kennedy

January 17, 2024

A 10-year-old student and his parents alleged that the school district violated the Least Restrictive Environment provision (LRE) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by not placing him... Read More

Absence of speech therapy, other services did not constitute violation of IDEA

Judge Howells

January 4, 2024

A 17-year-old student and her mother alleged that the student’s school district violated the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by failing to provide several requested services, including speech therapy,... Read More

Claims of excessive restraint fall short in IDEA proceeding  

Judge Schroer

January 2, 2024

A 14-year-old student and her mother sought relief under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) over a teacher’s alleged use of excessive restraint during a fight.  The Court denied... Read More

District ordered to reimburse tuition following failure to provide student with appropriate placement

Judge Teate

December 8, 2023

A 12-year-old student with autism and his mother sought relief under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the form of reimbursement for private-school tuition and travel expenses.  The... Read More

Parent and student fall short of proving link between student’s physical altercation and autism diagnosis

Judge Howells

November 21, 2023

A 17-year-old student and his mother sought a hearing under the Individuals with Disabilities and Education Act (IDEA) after the school district’s manifestation-determination review concluded that a physical altercation with... Read More

Judge denies request to amend original IDEA complaint following signing of settlement agreement

Judge Fry

November 16, 2023

After signing an agreement with the school district to settle the claims in a complaint brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a student and his mother sought... Read More

Parent’s failure to provide documentation of disability leads to dismissal of IDEA manifestation complaint

Judge Teate

September 28, 2023

This complaint brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) sought to appeal a school district’s decision that a 17-year-old special-education student’s behavior of battering, sexually assaulting, and sexually... Read More

 Errors in special-education student’s IEP and testing did not constitute a denial of FAPE

Judge Beaudrot

September 28, 2023

A 10th-grade student and his mother filed a complaint against the school district, alleging multiple violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  Those allegations included the district making... Read More

Insufficient evidence that school district failed to evaluate student for emotional behavioral disability

Judge Boggs

July 24, 2023

A 14-year-old student and her mother alleged that the student’s school district violated the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with respect to the student’s identification, evaluation, and educational placement,... Read More

Student’s behavioral history demonstrates necessity for more restrictive placement

Judge Schroer

July 11, 2023

A 7-year-old student and his mother were unsuccessful in seeking relief under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Court granted the school district’s motion for involuntary dismissal on... Read More

Court sides with district, finds that school provided student with “reasonably calculated” education plan

Judge Woodard

June 26, 2023

This IDEA case was initiated in response to several due process complaints filed by a 16-year-old student and his mother against the student’s school district. The student and mother alleged... Read More

Case dismissed because parental rights under IDEA transferred to 18-year-old student

Judge Boggs

June 6, 2023

This case concerned a due process complaint that was filed by a student’s mother under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Because the student had reached the age of... Read More

Procedural violations during IDEA manifestation review did not impede parent’s ability to participate

Judge Walker

April 12, 2023

In this case, the Court denied the student and parent’s request for relief based on an alleged violation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Court determined that,... Read More

Court denies requested relief for alleged inadequate IEP implementation, orders discussion on placement

Judge Malihi

April 12, 2023

In this case, a 13-year-old student and her parent sought relief from the school district under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), based on claims of inadequate implementation of... Read More

School district prevails on summary determination in IDEA case involving ESY services

Judge Fry

March 28, 2023

The Court granted summary determination in favor of the school district in response to a student’s complaint filed under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in which he alleged... Read More