Pennsylvania
Special Education Hearing Officer
DECISION
Child’s Name: P.S.
Date of Birth: [redacted]
Dates of Hearing: October 20, 2010 December 1, 2010 December 21, 2010
CLOSED HEARING
ODR No. 01421-1011 JS
Parties to the Hearing: Parent[s]
Dr. Lois Robinson Director of Pupil Services Methacton School District 1001 Kriebel Mill Road Eagleville, PA 19403
Representative: Pro Se
Mark W. Cheramie Walz, Esquire Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams LLP
331 E. Butler Avenue
New Britain, PA 18901
Date Record Closed: December 29, 2010
Date of Decision: January 11, 2011
Hearing Officer: Cathy A. Skidmore, M.Ed., J.D.
INTRODUCTION AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Student1 is an early teen-aged student enrolled in the Methacton School District (District) and is eligible for special education. In the spring of 2010, the District, at the request of the Parents, conducted an educational evaluation of Student upon Student’s return to the District. The parents disagreed with the District’s evaluation and requested an independent educational evaluation (IEE). The District filed a complaint for a due process hearing asserting that its evaluation of Student was appropriate and that the parents were not entitled to an IEE at public expense.
This hearing was conducted in three sessions at which the parties presented evidence in support of their respective positions. For the reasons which follow, I find in favor of the District.
ISSUES
Whether or not the District’s evaluation of Student was sufficiently comprehensive and complete, and therefore appropriate in assessing all areas of suspected disability; and
If it was not, are the parents entitled to an IEE at public expense?
P-S-Methacton-ODRNo-01421-1011JS