Court holds against district for failure to evaluate in a timely fashion

Integrated Design and Electronics Academy Public Charter School v. McKinley, 570 F.Supp.2d 28 (D.D.C. Aug 08, 2008): The D.C. District Court held for the parent on a claim that the school failed to evaluate in a timely fashion. The Court also found that the parent was a prevailing party and was thus entitled to attorney fees. This case is of note given a recent history of courts forgiving district violation of procedural obligations. Also, it is of significance that the court awarded attorney fees without an ultimate determination that the child was eligible under the IDEA.

Court allows ADA/504 claim to proceed

Miles v. Cushing Public Schools, Slip Copy, 2008 WL 4619857: A severely disabled child fell twice from a changing table. The parents sued alleging deliberate indifference to the child’s safety. The Court concluded that “the record contains sufficient evidence to create material factual disputes with regard to Plaintiffs' claims that Defendants intentionally discriminated against C.M. by exhibiting deliberate indifference to the likelihood that their actions, or their failure to act, violated his rights under the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA.”

Court requires more detailed analysis

E.M. ex rel. E.M. v. Pajaro Valley Unified School Dist., Slip Copy, 2008 WL 4615436(N.D.Cal. Oct 17, 2008): This case would almost certainly fly under the radar screen, yet it zeroes in on an issue of significance in New York State. Parents in New York State are often subjected to adverse administrative decisions that appear to result from the whim of the SRO or, in some cases, particularly in New York City, an “impartial” hearing officer. Here, the Court remanded the case back to the ALJ finding that the ALJ’s findings were conclusory and failed to “articulate adequately their underlying reasoning.”

Settlement agreement enforceable in federal court

Many special education cases do not fit neatly within the prescribed process. Here, the Court found that the parents had not exhausted the administrative process, but allowed them to proceed in federal court on the basis of a violation of a settlement agreement. The district did not schedule a resolution session. The Court, nevertheless, held that the agreement was enforceable in federal court pursuant to 20 USC §1415(f)(1)(B)(iii), the provision affording Court jurisdiction for resolution agreements. See J.M.C. ex rel. E.G.C. v. Louisiana Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Educ., --- F.Supp.2d ----, 2008 WL 2421108(M.D.La. Jun 13, 2008).

Is the SRO additional services doctrine dead?

P. v. Newington, 2nd Cir., decided October 9, 2008.

For a number of years, the New York SRO has distinguished between compensatory education services and additional services. Hopefully, this 2nd circuit decision will put an end to this rather silly distinction.
The Court reasoned that

The IDEA allows a hearing officer to fashion an appropriate remedy, and we have held compensatory education is an available option under the Act to make up for denial of a free and appropriate public education. Mrs. C. v.Wheaton, 916 F.2d 69, 75-76 (2d Cir. 1990); see also Reid v. District of Columbia, 401 F.3d 516, 518 (D.C. Cir. 2005). The remedy’s mandates in this case – that an inclusion consultant be retained for a year, requiring the school to keep Dr. Majure on for at least that long,and completion of an FBA – appropriately addressed the problems with the IEP, especially when considered in light of the fact that P. is now included in at least 80% of regular-classroom activities, in part due to Dr. Majure’s recommendations. See Parents of Student W. v. PuyallupSch. Dist., 31 F.3d 1489, 1497 (9th Cir. 1994) (“Appropriate relief is relief designed to ensure that the student is appropriately educated within the meaning of the IDEA.”). We therefore see no infirmity in the hearing officer’s chosen remedy.

2nd Circuit adopts Oberti test for determination of LRE(least restrictive environment

P. v. Newington(2nd Circuit, decided October 9, 2008): The 2nd Circuit today adopted a case- and fact-specific test for determining whether a student has been placed in the least restrictive environment, considering whether, with the aid of appropriate supplemental aids and services, full-time education in the regular classroom may be achieved, and, if not, whether the school has included the student in regular classes, programs, and activities to the maximum extent appropriate.

in determining whether a child with disabilities can be educated satisfactorily in a regular class with supplemental aids and services (the first prong of the two-part mainstreaming test we adopt today), the court should consider several factors, including: (1) whether the school district has mader easonable efforts to accommodate the child in a regular classroom; (2) thee ducational benefits available to the child in a regular class, with appropriate supplementary aids and services, as compared to the benefits provided in aspecial education class; and (3) the possible negative effects of the inclusion of the child on the education of the other students in the class.

If, after considering these factors, the court determines that the school district was justified in removing the child from the regular classroom and providing education in a segregated, special education class, the court must consider the second prong of the mainstreaming test – whether the school has included the child in school programs with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate.

D.C. Court holds that IHO decision must be implemented during an appeal

Friendship Edison Public Charter School Chamberlain Campus v. Suggs, 562 F. Supp. 2d 141, 143 (D.D.C. 2008).

A student is entitled to pendency during the course of litigation. In this case, the student was awarded compensatory education in the form of supplemental tutoring. The Court held that the implementation of a hearing officer decision is not automatically stayed by the filing of an appeal.

Nowhere in the IDEA ... is there a corresponding right of an education provider to decline to implement a Hearing Officer Decision in a student's favor automatically, without seeking a stay of that Decision from either the Hearing Office or the Court in which further proceedings have been commenced under 20 U.S.C. § 1415(i)(2).

Moving from district did not moot attorney fee claim

Kingsport City School System v. J.R., ex rel. Rentz, Slip Copy, (E.D.Tenn. Sep 04, 2008)

In this case, the parents moved from the district prior to the implementation of relief won during the administrative process. The court determined that the parent was the prevailing party and that the fact that they had moved did not negate the right to attorney fees.

Court orders funding of independent FBA

Harris v. District of Columbia, 561 F. Supp. 2d 63, 69 (D.D.C. 2008)

Parent sought an independent functional, behavioral assessment(FBA). District failed to act upon the request in a timely fashion. First, the Court found that an FBA is an educational evaluation, thus giving rise to a parental right to an Independent Educational Evaluation(IEE). Next, the Court slapped the District by finding that

failure to act on a request for an independent evaluation is certainly not a mere procedural inadequacy; indeed, such inaction jeopardizes the whole of Congress' objectives in enacting the IDEA. See Part II C 1-2, supra. Nevertheless, even accepting defendant's assertion that plaintiff's complaint describes a procedural violation, its argument still fails. D.H. has languished for over two years with an IEP that may not be sufficiently tailored to her special needs. The intransigence of DCPS as exhibited in its failure to respond quickly to plaintiff's simple request has certainly compromised the effectiveness of the IDEA as applied to D.H., and it thereby constitutes a deprivation of FAPE. Plaintiff is accordingly entitled to full relief under the statute.

District can not satisfy obligation to evaluate by referring parents to outside evaluator

N.B v. Hellgate Elementary School District, ex rel. Bd. of Directors, Missoula County, Mont., –F.3d– (9th Cir.(Mont.) Sep 04, 2008): A school district is obligated to evaluate a child in all suspected areas of disability. Here, the school district was aware that the child might be autistic. The school district suggested that the parents obtain an evaluation and referred the parents to a testing center. The 9th Circuit reversed the District and found that the school district “did not fulfill its statutory obligations by simply referring C.B.'s parents to the CDC. Such an action does not “ensure that the child is assessed,” as required by 20 U.S.C. § 1414(b)(3)(C).”

Federal Court Vacates SRO home schooling decision

H.C. v. Colton-Pierrepont: This is a case of particular interest to home schoolers in New York State. The case was originally a parent challenge to the district’s recommended reduction in frequency of related services. The parent prevailed at hearing. On appeal, the district prevailed, but more importantly, the SRO advised that districts were not permitted to provide special education services to home schooled kids. This issue had not been raised, briefed or argued by either of the parties. Federal District Court Judge Hurd vacated the SRO decision. Although he decided the case on other grounds, he criticized the SRO for “depriv[ing] both parties of due process because he failed to inform them that he intended to rule on the rights of home-schooled students to receive special education services – an issue that neither party raised nor briefed.” Judge Hurd noted that “[t]he SRO also exceeded the scope of his authority because “[t]he decision of the State Review Officer shall be based solely upon the record before the State Review Officer . . . .” N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 8, § 279.12(a) (2008). Neither party mentioned or submitted evidence concerning the ability of home-schooled students to receive special education services.“

On August 25, 2008, the district filed a notice of appeal to the 2nd Circuit.

Does a non-custodial parent have due process rights?

Fuentes v. Bd. of Education of City of New York

Jesus Fuentes is a non-custodial parent. In 2000, he requested an impartial hearing, which request was denied by the NYC impartial hearing office. In 2008, he is still fighting for the right to a hearing and the battle is long from over. The Second Circuit recently addressed but did not decide the issue, instead certifying the issue of the father’s standing to the New York Court of Appeals. The Court framed the issue as follows:

Whether, under New York law, the biological and non-custodial parent of a child retains the right to participate in decisions pertaining to the education of the child where (1) the custodial parent is granted exclusive custody of the child and (2) the divorce decree and custody order are
silent as to the right to control such decisions.

SDNY reverses SRO on reimbursement claim

T.P. ex rel. S.P. v. Mamaroneck Union Free School Dist. (S.D.N.Y. May 10, 2007)

NOTE: This case was reversed by the 2nd Circuit on February 03, 2009 at 554 F.3d 247.

This case with a decision date of May 10, 2007, but just now publicly reported, is of major importance in New York State where the State Review Office has found against parents in the great majority of cases from 2006 to the present. In this case, the parent lost at hearing and at SRO(05-076). This is a must read for parent attorneys and autism advocates. In sum, the Court found that:

1. the district had improperly predetermined the child’s placement


2. the child was entitled to extended day services


3. the IEP which failed to include any transitional provisions for at-home ABA services, was not reasonably calculated to enable the child to receive an educational benefit and deprived him of a FAPE.

The District had knowledge of the Child's difficulty with transitions, and the IEP containing no at-home ABA therapy failed to address the Child's individual needs. Examining the evidence of record and giving due weight to the proceedings below, the Court cannot conclude that the child was likely to make progress under a plan that would bluntly change his routine, and in which no at home ABA therapy was provided, despite his being accustomed for the prior years provided with 30-35 hours per week of at home ABA services, and under which program he made meaningful advances.

Are attorney fees available on settlement agreements after all?

Jankey v. Poop Deck: This is a 9th Circuit ADA case in which attorney fees were an issue. The parties had entered into a settlement agreement. The District Court denied attorney fees; the Court of Appeals reversed in a case that could have significant impact in the special education arena. Of relevance,

In a case pursued under the ADA, a court, “in its discre-
tion, may allow the prevailing party . . . a reasonable attor-
ney’s fee.” 42 U.S.C. § 12205. “[F]or a litigant to be a
‘prevailing party’ for the purpose of awarding attorneys’ fees,
he must meet two criteria: he must achieve a material alter-
ation of the legal relationship of the parties, and that alteration
must be judicially sanctioned.” P.N. v. Seattle Sch. Dist. No.
1, 474 F.3d 1165, 1172 (9th Cir. 2007) (internal quotation
marks omitted). In other words, the alteration must have a “ju-
dicial imprimatur.” Buckhannon Bd. & Care Home, Inc. v. W.
Va. Dep’t of Health & Human Res., 532 U.S. 598, 605 (2001).

Here, the district court dismissed Plaintiff’s case pursu-
ant to a settlement agreement between the parties under which
the court retained jurisdiction to enforce the settlement.
Defendants argue that those actions by the district court do
not constitute a sufficient judicial imprimatur. That argument
is foreclosed by Skaff v. Meridien North America Beverly
Hills, LLC, 506 F.3d 832 (9th Cir. 2007) (per curiam). There,
we held that a “settlement agreement and the district court’s
order dismissing the case[, which] provided that the district
court would retain jurisdiction to enforce the agreement,” sat-
isfied the requirements of Buckhannon to render the plaintiff
a prevailing party under the ADA. Id. at 844 & n.12. The set-
tlement agreement in this case both authorized judicial
enforcement of its terms and expressly referred resolution of
the issue of attorney fees to the district court.

The IDEA by its terms makes resolution agreements enforceable in federal court. This should be sufficient to give rise to the right to fees, assuming that the terms of the agreement otherwise make the parent a prevailing party. This theory will soon be tested. Stay tuned.

SRO pounds parent attorney for procedural infirmities

SRO 08-053: Parent alleged that the district(presumably NYC) failed to provide her child with a FAPE. She placed her child in a private school and requested a hearing. After 3 days of testimony, the IHO found for the district. The parent appealed. SRO Paul Kelly, always tough on parents and disabled children, did not even address the issues in this one. Rather, he tossed the appeal citing counsel’s:

1. failure to provide “sufficient particulars as to the reasons why she challenges the impartial hearing officer's decision”;


2. raising of issues in the memorandum of law rather than the petition;


3. failure to include record cites in the petition; and perhaps the most stunning of all,


4. the failure to include a table of contents in the memorandum of law.