Hearing Officer Decisions 2023-2024

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Refer also to Index of Issues

July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024

Case - Reference #24-014

  • Whether the IEP was appropriate. (Substantive noncompliance/Denial of FAPE)?
  • Whether the Parent was denied meaningful opportunity to participate in the development of the IEP. (Procedural noncompliance/Denial of FAPE).
  • Whether the LEA failed to implement the IEP. (Substantive noncompliance/Denial of FAPE). 

Case - Reference #24-018

  • Whether LEA failed to develop, implement, and/or revise the student's 504 Plan and/or Individualized Education Program (IEP) in a manner reasonably calculated to enable the student to make progress and provide the student with a FAPE for XX and XX grade school years.
  • Whether the student should be educated in a private school setting at public expense in order to receive a FAPE.
  • Whether the petitioners should be reimbursed by LEA for tuition associated with placing the student in XXXXXXXX School, a private school.

Case - Reference #24-019

  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to provide a timely draft of the IEP Prior to IEP Meetings as well as when it denied the Parent meaningful participation in the creation of the draft.
    • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to allow the Parent and the Parent’s representatives (legal and educational) to meaningfully engage in the IEP team and process.
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to consider safety concerns and their impact on the child’s education as part of the IEP process.
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to consider required related services for the Student based the need for an individualized educational plan and medical directives.
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it engaged in harassment of the Student in the educational setting, and further retaliation against the Parent.
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to properly monitor progress as well as report and document incidents involving the Student in the educational setting. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to allow the Parent to copy and review all records, including videos and incident reports relating to incidents involving the Student in the educational setting. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to provide service and resource coordination services and to allow the parent to meaningfully participate as an equal IEP Team member.
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to ensure that special education instructional staff assigned to student complied with the mandated professional standards as identified by the Virginia Department of Education and the IDEA. 
  • Whether the LEA, Virginia Department of Education and the Sands Andersen Law Firm denied the student FAPE when they failed to ensure that all IEP Team participants demonstrated a legitimate educational purpose when serving on the IEP Team.
  • Whether the LEA, Virginia Department of Education and the Sands Andersen Law Firm denied the student FAPE when they failed to prevent acts of intentional and repeated acts of forgery by school division staff and the LEA’s outsourced counsel, the Sands Anderson Law Firm involving The Student’s educational records.
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to ensure that the IEP Team complied with the “Meaningful IEP Development” protocols as well as the mandated “Standards-based IEP Development” guidance required under SB 1288.
    • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to ensure that all IEP Team participants understood their respective roles, operated within their scope of licensure, and were certified to serve on the IEP Team as mandated by SB 1288.
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to ensure that the Student and the Parent were not subjected to an ongoing hostile environment where hate crimes, based in disability bigotry resulted in a culture within the LEA in which the Conspiracy Against Rights, 18 U.S.C. § 241 statute is violated by school division staff serving on IEP Teams as well as the Sands Andersen law firm, as standard operating procedure.
  • Whether the LEA denied the student FAPE when it failed to protect the Student and Parents from their staff’s repeated criminal acts of forgery, forgery via computer, and uttering as defined by Virginia criminal code, resulting in extensive emotional and physical trauma as well as irreparable harm for the family.

Case - Reference #24-022

  • Whether Student’s Individualized Education Programs (“IEPs”) for school years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, denied Student a free appropriate public education (“FAPE”) as a result of the LEA’s failure to provide the Student with services, related services and accommodations in conformance with the Student’s applicable IEPs. In short, the parents contended that the LEA materially failed to implement the subject IEPs.

Case - Reference #24-037

  • Whether the LEA’s proposed IEP provides the Student with FAPE?

Case - Reference #24-042

  • Whether the LEA violated IDEA by improperly recording nonexistent events in the Child’s academic file and, if so, what is the remedy?
  • Whether the LEA violated IDEA by not properly memorializing records as required by IDEA and, if so, what is the remedy?
  • Whether the LEA violated IDEA by not allowing the Parent/Child to copy the Child’s records as defined by the IDEA and, if so, what is the remedy?
  • Whether the LEA violated IDEA by not allowing the Parent/Child to inspect the Child’s records as defined by the IDEA and, if so, what is the remedy?
  • Whether the LEA’s implementation of the Child’s current IEP was consistent with FAPE and, if not what is the remedy?
  • Whether the LEA committed procedural errors in violation of IDEA regarding the IEP Meeting held in March 2023 and, if so, did such errors rob the Child of FAPE?
  • If such errors robbed the Child of FAPE, what is the remedy?
  • Whether the LEA committed procedural errors in violation of IDEA regarding the IEP Meeting held in September 2023 and, if so, did such errors rob the Child of FAPE?
  • If such errors robbed the Child of FAPE, what is the remedy?

Case - Reference #24-044

  • Whether Student was denied a free appropriate public education (“FAPE”) because a draft watermark IEP for the Student, provided to Parent prior to the IEP meeting, allegedly failed to identify appropriate measurable goals. The Parent also contended that the Student’s placement had been “predetermined,” and that XX postsecondary education goals were also somehow deficient.
  • Whether Student was denied a free appropriate public education (“FAPE”) because  a draft watermark IEP for the Student, provided to Parent prior to the IEP meeting and the finalized, proposed IEP developed as a result of another IEP meeting, were inappropriate because they (1) failed to consider a psychological evaluation by [PP], (2) failed to consider recommendations of a doctor related to the Student’s peer interactions, (3) failed to address specific goals related to dyslexia, and (4) 2 failed to accurately reflect the Student’s Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (“PLOP”).
  • Whether Student was denied a free appropriate public education (“FAPE”) because Parent was allegedly not given homebound and/or homebased records. 
  • Whether Student was denied a free appropriate public education (“FAPE”) because   the LEA allegedly did not consider the Student’s functional needs in light of certain evaluations?

Case - Reference #24-049

  • Whether the LEA denied Student a free appropriate education (“FAPE”) when it failed to develop and/or offer Student an appropriate IEP reasonably calculated to enable Student to make progress appropriate in light of Student’s circumstances, because of Student’s regression in the area of reading and because XX was bullied.
  • Whether the LEA denied Student FAPE when it failed to offer Student an appropriate placement in XX IEP, because of Student’s regression in the area of reading and because XX was bullied.

Case - Reference #24-053

  • Whether the IDEA’s two-year statute of limitations for filing a request for due process hearing prohibits reimbursement for the cost of the Parents’ December 2021 IEE.

Case - Reference #24-058

  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when in the IEP it failed to address the Student’s lack of meaningful progress in reading and writing, deficit in math, lack of mastering any goals. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to implement the reading interventions utilized with fidelity. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to offer or provide COVID recovery services for the loss of services during the COVID shutdown. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to develop an IEP that addressed the Student’s lack of meaningful progress in reading, writing, and math, including foundational and functional deficits.
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when in the Student’s IEP it included goals from previous year as they had yet to be mastered. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it refused to accommodate the Student’s unique needs and unique learning profile related to ADHD. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to ensure implementation of the Student’s IEP as written.  
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to implement the reading interventions utilized with fidelity. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it unilaterally excluded/exempted the Student from the grade curriculum. 
  • Whether the LEA owes the Student compensatory services from a private provider and/or private placement due to the denial of FAPE that occurred when the LEA unilaterally excluded/exempted the Student from social studies curriculum. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to provide agreed upon IEP Services Minutes. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to provide access to Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM), other than the AIM-VA password, as written in XX IEP.
  • Whether the LEA owes the Student compensatory services from a private provider and/or private placement due to the denial of FAPE that occurred when the LEA failed to provide Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM), as determined by VDOE.
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to adhere to state and federal required timelines from October 22, 2022 to December 3, 2022.
  • Whether the LEA owes the Student compensatory services from a private provider and/or private placement due to the denial of FAPE that occurred when the LEA failed to adhere to state and federal required timelines from December 4, 2022 to December 4, 2023.
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it changed information in the IEP after IEP meeting, without parent knowledge or consent, and then asked for signature. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to accurately access the Student’s progress or mastery in Math. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when in 5 ½ years the Student only mastered one goal. 
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to implement the IEP as written.
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to implement the reading interventions utilized with fidelity or changing/updating them based on the Student’s unique needs and lack of foundational knowledge.
  • Whether the LEA denied the Student a FAPE when it failed to treat the Student’s parent as an essential attendee at the various meetings.

Case Reference #24-065

  • Whether the Manifestation Determination Review was conducted in accordance with the IDEA and, if not, what are the remedies?
  • If so, was the Student’s behavior a manifestation of Student’s disability in accordance with the IDEA?

Case Reference #24-081

  • Whether the Local Educational Authority (LEA) is providing a Free Appropriate Public Education to the Student?
  • Whether the LEA is providing services to the Student in accordance with the Student's Individualized Education Program (IEP)?
  • Whether the LEA removed services required by the IEP without the XXXparent's knowledge?
  • Whether the Student's special education services should be provided by a private school or organization and paid for by the LEA?
  • Whether the Student's special education services should be provided by a private school or organization and paid for by the LEA?

Case Reference #24-090

  • Whether the Student is receiving a free appropriate public education?
  • Whether LEA has timely determined the Student to be eligible for special education?
  • Whether the Student should be enrolled in [XXXXXXXXX] School?