Pennsylvania
Special Education Hearing Officer
DECISION
Child’s Name: KP
Date of Birth:
Date of Hearing: August 24, 2009
CLOSED HEARING
ODR Case # 9979-08-09-AS
Parties to the Hearing:
Ms. Amy Shoemaker
Director of Pupil Services
Eastern Lebanon County School District 180 Elco Drive
Myerstown, PA 17067
Representative:
Amy C. Slody, Esq. Gibbel, Kraybill & Hess 41 East Orange Street Lancaster, PA 17602
Anthony F. Andrisano, Jr. Marshall, Dennehy, et. al. 4200 Crums Mill Road/Suite B Harrisburg, PA 17112
Date Record Closed: September 10, 2009
Date of Decision: September 25, 2009
Hearing Officer: Jake McElligott, Esquire
INTRODUCTION AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Student is a 17-year old student residing in the Eastern Lebanon County School District (“District”) who parents claim should have been identified as a student with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Improvement Act of 2004 (“IDEIA”)1. The parents have requested compensatory education and tuition reimbursement of a privately funded education placement due to an alleged failure to provide a free appropriate public education (”FAPE”). Specifically, parents allege that the District should have identified the student as a student with an emotional disturbance and specific learning disabilities. The District maintains that the student does not meet the criteria for any identification as a student with a disability under the IDEIA and, consequently, has acted appropriately at all times towards the student.
ISSUES
Does the student qualify under the IDEIA as a student with an emotional disturbance?
KP-Eastern-Lebanon-County-ODRNo-9979-08-09-AS