PENNSYLVANIA
Special Education Hearing Officer
Child’s Name: Student
Date of Birth: xx/xx/xx
File Number: 8052-07-08 KE
Dates of Hearing: November 2, 2007; November 30, 2007
CLOSED HEARING
Parties to the Hearing:
Mr. and Mrs.
Souderton Area School District 760 Lower Road
Souderton, PA 18964-2311
Representative:
Heather Hulse, Esq. McAndrews Law Offices 30 Cassatt Avenue Berwyn, PA 19312
Karl Romberger, Esq.
Fox Rothschild O’Brien & Frankel
P.O. Box 431 Lansdale, PA 19446-0431
Date Transcript Received: December 6, 2007
Date of Decision:1 January 15, 2008
Date Parent’s Brief Received: January 2, 2008
Date District’s Brief Received: January 2, 2008
Hearing Officer’s Name: Gregory J. Smith
Background
Student is a xx-year-old student who resides with her parents within the area served by the Souderton Area School District (District). Student is eligible for special education and related services as a child with a disability who has been identified as having a specific learning disability in the areas of reading, reading comprehension, written expression, and math. From the fourth grade through the completion of ninth grade in June 2007 Student attended the Private School, a private placement paid for by the District. During the spring 2007 the District completed an evaluation of Student in anticipation of her return to the District. On June 19, 2007 an IEP was offered to Student’s parents. On August 23, 2007 Student’s parents filed a complaint with the District and requested the present due process hearing seeking reimbursement for Student’s parents’ unilateral placement of Student at the Private High School for the 2007 – 2008 school year. Student began to attend 9th grade at Private High School at the end of August 2007.
Issues
Must the Souderton Area School District reimburse the parents of Student for the cost of tuition for Student’s attendance at the Private High School during the 2007 – 2008 school year?
Student-Souderton-Area-ODRNo-8052-07-08-KE