PENNSYLVANIA
SPECIAL EDUCATION HEARING OFFICER
DECISION
DUE PROCESS HEARING
Name of Child: W.G.
ODR #18613 / 16-17 KE
Date of Birth: [redacted]
Date of Hearing: January 19, 2017
CLOSED HEARING
Parties to the Hearing: Parent[s]
Radnor Township School District 105 South Wayne Avenue Wayne, PA 19087
Representative: Pro Se
Tracey Waldmann, Esquire Raffaele & Puppio
19 West Third Street Media, PA 19063
Date of Decision: February 7, 2017
Hearing Officer: Linda M. Valentini, Psy.D. CHO Certified Hearing Official
Background
Student1 is an elementary-school aged child attending a District school. An initial evaluation conducted early in first grade at Parents’ request found mild needs in certain areas and Student was found to be eligible for special education. Upon reevaluation Student was found to be no longer eligible. The Parents disagree with the District’s recommendation that Student be exited from special education and are seeking an independent educational evaluation (IEE) at public expense to obtain a second opinion. The District filed for this hearing to defend the appropriateness of its evaluation.
After listening carefully to the witnesses and thoroughly reviewing the exhibits I find in favor of the District for the reasons put forth below.
Issue
Was the District’s November 22, 2016 evaluation appropriate under the IDEA, and if not is Student entitled to an IEE at public expense?
W-G-Radnor-Township-ODRNo-18613-16-17-KE