PENNSYLVANIA
SPECIAL EDUCATION HEARING OFFICER
DECISION
DUE PROCESS HEARING
Name of Child: JK
ODR #8453/07-08 LS
Date of Birth: Xx/xx/xxx
Dates of Hearing: May 19, 2008 May 28, 2008 June 16, 2008 June 24, 2008 September 12, 2008 September 15, 2008 September 23, 2008
CLOSED HEARING
Parties to the Hearing: Mr. and Mrs.
Pleasant Valley School District Route 115
Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania
Representative:
Jonathan Corchnoy, Esquire
1515 Market Street Suite 1510 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102
Glenna Hazeltine, Esquire Anne Hendricks, Esquire Levin Legal Group
1800 Byberry Road
1301 Mason’s Mill Business Park Huntington Valley, PA 19006
Date Closing Arguments Received: October 3, 2008
Date of Decision: October 7, 2008
Hearing Officer: Linda M. Valentini, Psy.D.
Background
Student is a teen-age eligible student enrolled in the Pleasant Valley School District (hereinafter District). The District has classified Student as a student with a specific learning disability, an other health impairment (ADHD), Asperger’s Disorder and speech/language impairment.
Mr. and Mrs. (hereinafter Parents) requested this hearing because they believed that the District’s Assistive Technology Evaluation was inappropriate, and that the IEP was inappropriate in that, among other things, it did not provide for a one-to-one aide, did not include an appropriate functional behavioral analysis and an appropriate behavior support plan, and was not designed/implemented such that Student could make/made meaningful educational progress.
The District raised a standing objection, its position being that the issues raised by the Parents were not ripe for hearing as the IEP team had not considered them. Throughout the term of the hearing the hearing officer gave repeated instructions that the parties hold an IEP meeting, and at least one was held, however by the last date of the hearing the issues remained unresolved.
Issues1
- Should Student receive an independent Assistive Technology Evaluation at the District’s expense?
- Were the 2006-2008 Functional Behavioral Plans (FBAs) and Behavioral Support/Intervention Plans (BIPs) the District developed for Student appropriate and were the BIPs appropriately followed?
- Is it necessary that Student be provided with a one-to-one aide in order for Student to receive FAPE?
- Should the recommendations of the independent educational evaluator be incorporated into Student’s IEP?
- Did the District deny Student FAPE for the 2006-2007 and/or the 2007-2008 school years? If the District denied Student FAPE for any or all of this period is Student entitled to compensatory education, in what amount and in what kind?