Pennsylvania
Special Education Hearing Officer
DECISION
Child’s Name: K.S.
Date of Birth: [redacted]
ODR No. 2702-11-12-AS
CLOSED HEARING
Parties to the Hearing: Parent
Capital Area IU/EI Program 55 Miller Street Summerdale, PA 17093
Representative: Pro Se
William J. Zee, III, Esquire
Hartman, Underhill & Brubaker, LLP 221 East Chestnut Street
Lancaster, PA 17602
Date of Hearing: February 9, 2012
Record Closed: February 20, 2012
Date of Decision: March 6, 2012
Hearing Officer: William F. Culleton, Jr., Esquire, CHO
INTRODUCTION AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
The child named in the title page of this decision (Child) is an eligible young child entitled to receive preschool early intervention services, from the Intermediate Unit named in the title page of this decision (IU), pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. §1401 et seq. (IDEA) and the Pennsylvania Code, 22 Pa. Code §14.151 et seq. (NT 8- 10.) Child currently receives Infant and Toddler services through an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), provided by the local behavioral health agency for children aged birth to three. (NT 8-10.) Child is of an age to transition from the Infant and Toddler program to Early Intervention, (NT 8-10), and the IU has evaluated Child for that purpose.
Child’s Grandparent (Grandparent)1, named in the title page of this decision, brought this Complaint for due process hearing, challenging the appropriateness of the IU’s evaluation.2 In particular, Grandparent raised the concern that the evaluation did not identify all of the disabilities with which the Child has been diagnosed or from which Child suffers. The IU asserts that its evaluation is appropriate under the IDEA, and that it has appropriately identified Child for services that will address all of Child’s educational needs.
The hearing was concluded in one session. At the request of the IU, I allowed the parties to submit written summations, and the record closed upon receipt of those summations. I conclude that the IU’s evaluation was appropriate, and I decline to order the relief sought by Grandparent.
ISSUES
- Was the IU’s evaluation of the Child appropriate?
- Did the IU’s evaluation recognize the appropriate category or categories of disability as part of its determination of eligibility?
- Did the IU’s evaluation recognize all of the educational needs of the Child that require specially designed instruction and related services?
- Should the hearing officer provide declaratory or proscriptive relief and order the IU to identify the Child with the classifications that the Grandparent requests?