Pennsylvania
Special Education Hearing Officer
DECISION
Child’s Name: K.G,
Date of Birth: [redacted]
Dates of Hearing: 11/4/2016, 12/8/2016 and 1/5/2017
Closed HEARING
ODR File No. 18241-16-17
Parties to the Hearing:
Parents Parent[s]
Local Education Agency Berks County IU/EI Program 1111 Commons Blvd. Reading, PA 19612-6050
Representative:
Parent Attorney Elizabeth Kapo Esq. 2123 Pinehurst Road Bethlehem, PA 18018 610-758-9800
LEA Attorney
Christina Stephanos
Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams LLP 331 Butler Avenue
New Britain, PA 18601 215-345-9111 x 131
Date Record Closed: January 5, 2017
Date of Decision: January 27, 2017
Hearing Officer: Charles W. Jelley Esq. LL.M
Background
This case arises from a Complaint filed by the Berks County Intermediate Unit (IU), the Local Education Agency (LEA), to support the appropriateness of its reevaluation of an eligible young Child (Child).1 The IU’s previous evaluation identified the Child as a person with Autism.
In the spring of 2016, the IU reevaluated the Child. After the parties reviewed the reevaluation report (RR), the Grandparents requested an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). The request focused on all of the domain areas addressed by the IU evaluation team. In particular, the Grandparents’ IEE request focused on the need for an independent Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and an Assistive Technology evaluation. Upon review, the IU filed a timely due process complaint to support the appropriateness of its reevaluation. Shortly after the initial evaluation, the Child began receiving pre-school (ages 3 to 5) special education services from the IU.2
ISSUE
Did the Intermediate Unit (IU) Early Intervention Program conduct an in-depth, sufficient, appropriate comprehensive evaluation of the Child in all areas of strengths and needs?
If the IU Early Intervention Program did not conduct an appropriate evaluation, should the IU Early Intervention Program be ordered to fund an independent evaluation in one or more developmental areas as requested by the Grandparents?
K-G-Berks-IU-EI-ODRNo-18241-16-17