IN THE PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Final Decision and Order
ODR File No. 2619-1112AS
OPEN HEARING
Child’s Name: G.R.1
Date of Birth: [redacted]
Hearing Dates: January 18, 2012
Parties to the Hearing
Reading School District 800 Washington Street Reading, PA 19601
Parent
Representative
Kathleen Metcalfe, Esquire
Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams, LLP 331 Butler Avenue
P.O. Box 5069
New Britain, PA 18901
Pro Se
Record Closed: February 3, 2012
Date of Decision: February 17, 2012
Hearing Officer: Brian Jason Ford
Introduction and Procedural History
The Reading School District (“District”) requested this hearing on December 6, 2011, shortly after rejecting the Parent’s request for an independent educational evaluation (IEE) at the District’s expense. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended 2004, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. (IDEA) and its federal implementing regulationsrequirelocaleducationalagenciestorequestdueprocesshearingswhen 2 rejecting parental requests for IEEs at public expense. See 34 U.S.C. 300.502(b)(2)(i).
For reasons set forth herein, I find that the District’s evaluation was appropriate. Consequently, the District will not be ordered to fund an IEE for the Student.
Issue
The sole issue presented in this due process hearing is whether the District’s speech and language evaluation, contained in a 2011 reevaluation report, is appropriate.
G-R-Reading-ODRNo-2619-1112AS