SRO excuses parent failures in awarding reimbursement

SRO 08-088: SRO Paul Kelly reversed an IHO denial of reimbursement. Kelly excused the failure by the parent to allege in the hearing request that the district’s proposed placement was unavailable at the start of the school year. He found that the issue had been litigated at hearing without objection by the district, and that that thus excused the failure by the parent to raise the issue in the hearing request. He then excused the parent’s failure to adequately inform the district of her concerns in the notice of intent to seek reimbursement. His rationale was that it was reasonable for the parents to place their child in 07-08 after the district failed to offer a placement in 07-08 and that the failure by the parent to detail their concerns did not prevent the district from addressing their concerns.