Pennsylvania
Special Education Hearing Officer
DECISION
Child’s Name: J.K.
Date of Birth: [redacted]
Date of Hearing: May 19, 2016
CLOSED HEARING
ODR Cases #17196-1516AS
Parties to the Hearing: Parent[s]
Owen J. Roberts School District 3650 St. Peters Road
Elverson, PA 19520
Representative: Pro Se
David Painter, Esquire 331 East Butler Avenue New Britain, PA 18901
Date Record Closed: May 19, 2016
Date of Decision: May 31, 2016
Hearing Officer: Jake McElligott, Esquire
INTRODUCTION
[The Student] (“student”)1 is an [early elementary school-aged] student residing in the Owen J. Roberts School District (“District”) who has been identified as a student with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA)2. The student has been identified under the terms of IDEIA as a student with the health impairment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (“ADHD”), specific learning disabilities, and speech and language impairment.
The student was initially evaluated, and identified as a student who required special education under the IDEIA, in November 2013 while a resident in a nearby school district. In May 2015, the parents requested that the student be re-evaluated by the District. In October 2015, the District issued its re-evaluation report (“RR”).
On December 23, 2015, after meetings of the student’s individualized education plan (“IEP”) team, the parents filed a special education due process complaint at ODR file number 17187-1516AS. At some point in the midst of these matters, the parents requested an independent educational evaluation (“IEE”) at public expense. Pursuant to 34 C.F.R. §§300.502(b)(1),(2); 22 PA Code §14.102(a)(2)(xxix), then, the District filed a special education due process complaint in defense of its evaluation process/report at this file number. A complicated procedural history ensued, which is detailed below.
For the reasons set forth below, I find in favor of the District. The October 2015 District RR was appropriate when issued. There will be a modification [of] the findings of the RR based on information developed and provided to the District after the issuance of the RR.
ISSUE
Did the District evaluation process and re-evaluation report of October 2015 meet its obligations to the student under IDEIA?
J-K-Owen-J-Roberts-ODRNo-17196-1516AS