PENNSYLVANIA
SPECIAL EDUCATION HEARING OFFICER
6477/05-06 KE
File Number
K.S.
Child’s Name
Xx/xx/xx
Date of Birth
August 29, 2006
Date of Hearing
Closed
Type of Hearing
For the Student: Parents
Drew Christian, Esq. Attorney-at-Law 801 Monroe Avenue Scranton, PA 18510
For the North Pocono School District:
Carole Natitus
Supervisor of Pupil Personnel North Pocono School District 851 Church Street
Moscow, PA 18444
Anne E. Hendricks, Esq.
Levin Legal Group
1301 Masons Mill Business Park 1800 Byberry Road
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
Date of Hearing: August 29, 2006
Date of Receipt of Transcript: September 5, 2006
Date of Decision: September 20, 2006
Hearing Officer: Daniel J. Myers
BACKGROUND
Student is a xx year old, 11th grade resident of the School District whose alleged anxiety, depression and/or school-related panic attacks prompted his psychiatrist to recommend four months of homebound instruction. After placing Student on homebound instruction, the School District then pressed truancy charges. Eventually, the School District issued an evaluation report concluding that Student does not have a disability and is not in need of either specially designed instruction or accommodations. Student contests the School District’s evaluation report and seeks an independent educational evaluation. For the reasons described below, I conclude that the School District’s evaluation report is not sufficiently thorough and, therefore, is not appropriate. Accordingly, I will order that the School District provide Student with an independent educational evaluation at public expense.
ISSUE
Whether Student is entitled to an independent educational evaluation?
K-S-North-Pocono-ODRNo-6477-05-06-KE