Category Archives: IEP Team meetings

The Gift of Knowledge

From Jennifer Laviano over on Connecticut Special Education Lawyer.   It’s been a couple of years now that I’ve been blogging about special education legal issues.  Unfortunately, the realities of juggling a busy law practice, a family, and other professional … Continue reading

Posted in Autism, Autism spectrum disorders, bullying, bullying of kids with disabilities, Current Affairs, due process, due process hearings, eligibility, Eligibility determinations, Eligibility under IDEA, IEP Meetings, IEP Team, IEP Team meetings, IEP Team Members, Independent Educational Evaluations, Meaningful Parental participation, Special Education, special education attorneys, special education law, Special Education Law practice, special education laws, Tips for Parents, transition services | Comments Off

Ask for the Email

From Jennifer Laviano over on Connecticut Special Education Lawyer. Whenever parents retain my firm, I ask them to sign a form requesting all of their child’s education records be sent to me as their special education lawyer.  It’s a standard … Continue reading

Posted in Connecticut Education, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, due process, due process hearings, eligibility, Eligibility determinations, Eligibility under IDEA, evaluations, FAPE, FERPA, FERPA issues, IDEA claims, IDEA Due Process Hearings, IEP Meetings, IEP Team, IEP Team meetings, IEPs, informed consent, Meaningful Parental participation, Mediation, Parent networking for disabilities, special ed records, Special Education, special education attorneys, Special Education Due Process Hearings, Special Education Law and Advocacy, Special Education Law practice, special education laws, special education lawyers, special education testing, Tips for Parents | Comments Off

“Why Would We Do an Evaluation, She Already Gets Services?”

As a parents’ special education attorney in Connecticut, I hear outrageous statements that parents are told by their school districts on an almost daily basis.  But, sometimes, I am told something that passes the realm of outrageous, and crosses into ridiculous. Such statements mislead or misrepresent the school’s legal obligations, and always in a way [...] Continue reading

Posted in Autism, Autism spectrum disorders, connecticut, Connecticut Education, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, eligibility, Eligibility determinations, Eligibility under IDEA, evaluations, FAPE, IDEA claims, IEEs, IEP Meetings, IEP Team, IEP Team meetings, IEP Teams, IEPs, Independent Educational Evaluations, informed consent, Parental participation, Ridiculous Comments, Special Education, Special Education Law practice, special education laws, special education testing | Comments Off

10 Special Ed “Back To School” Readiness Questions

It’s “back to school” time!  While many of my clients receive Extended School Year (ESY) services over the summer, I have learned over the years in my special education law practice that, regardless of whether your child receives ESY services, a number of things can occur over a summer that might impact his or her [...] Continue reading

Posted in attorneys fees under IDEA, connecticut, Connecticut Education, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, eligibility, Eligibility determinations, Eligibility under IDEA, ESY, extended sc, FAPE, IDEA claims, IEP Meetings, IEP Team, IEP Team meetings, IEP Teams, IEPs, Meaningful Parental participation, Special Education, Special Education Law and Advocacy, Special Education Law practice, special education laws, Tips for Parents, transition services | Comments Off

The Calm Before The Storm

I feel a little guilty for having neglected my blog most of this month, but the volume of IEP meetings, mediation, and Due Process Hearing commitments has prohibited me from writing much other than responses to Motions to Dismiss, 10 day notice letters, and a whole lot of nasty grams! The month of June has [...] Continue reading

Posted in Connecticut Education, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, due process, FAPE, IDEA, IDEA claims, IDEA Due Process Hearings, IEP Meetings, IEP Team, IEP Team meetings, IEP Team Members, IEPs, Meaningful Parental participation, Mediation, Parents, Special Education, special education attorneys, Special Education Due Process Hearings, Special Education Law and Advocacy, Special Education Law practice, special education laws, special education lawyers | Comments Off

Connecticut Enacts Important Autism Legislation

Another late night at the Capitol last night, showing support for the passage of HB 5425.  Around midnight, just before the legislative session ended, the Senate voted by consent (unanimously) to pass HB 5425.  Yes, this is the same bill that previously included very concerning language regarding Connecticut’s Burden of Proof in special education due [...] Continue reading

Posted in ABA services, ABA services and BCBA credentials, ABA services in IEP, Autism, Autism spectrum disorders, connecticut, Connecticut autism legislation, Connecticut Education, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, CT autism laws, due process, due process hearings, IDEA, IDEA claims, IEP Meetings, IEP Team, IEP Team meetings, IEP Team Members, IEP Teams, Parent networking for disabilities, Special Ed - CT specific, Special Education, special education attorneys, Special Education Due Process Hearings, Special Education Law and Advocacy, special education laws | Comments Off

“But Quentin Tarantino is VERY Successful!”

As a parents’ special education attorney in Connecticut, I hear outrageous statements that parents are told by their school districts on an almost daily basis.  But, sometimes, I am told something that passes the realm of outrageous, and crosses into ridiculous.

Such statements mislead or misrepresent the school’s legal obligations, and always [...] Continue reading

Posted in Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, Eligibility under IDEA, IDEA claims, IEP Meetings, IEP Team, IEP Team meetings, IEP Team Members, IEP Teams, IEPs, Meaningful Parental participation, Ridiculous Comments, Special Education, Special Education Law practice, transition services | Comments Off

First They Ignore You…

One of the most frustrating aspects of my job as a parents’ side special education attorney is trying to help my clients regain trust in the system.  Sometimes, this is nearly impossible.
As I’ve said before, by the time a parent of a child with special education needs has made the difficult decision to hire a [...] Continue reading

Posted in Add new tag, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, Eligibility determinations, evaluations, FAPE, IDEA claims, IEP Meetings, IEP Team meetings, Meaningful Parental participation, Occasional Rants, Special Education, special education attorneys, Special Education Law and Advocacy, special education lawyers | Comments Off

What is an IEP “Amendment?”

Every so often, Congress “reauthorizes” the IDEA.  The most recent was the 2004 Reauthorization, also known as IDEA04, and sometimes IDEIA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act).  When the 2004 IDEA came out, there were a number of changes with which I, and many parents’ attorneys and advocates, disagreed.  However, there was one change [...] Continue reading

Posted in Amending IEPs, Amendments to IEP, Annual Reviews, Changing IEP without Meetings, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, IDEA 2004, IEP changes, IEP meetings annually, IEP Team meetings, Review of IEP, Special Education, Tips for Parents, written changes to IEP | Comments Off

A Simple Question, Well Placed

Whenever I am asked to present to public school educators or special education administrators on the subject of the rights of children with disabilities, I try to remind them that, in every profession, continuing education should be embraced and appreciated.  This is because I have found so many problems when teachers feel threatened by a [...] Continue reading

Posted in Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, IEP Team meetings, IEP Teams, progress in special education, Special Education, special education law, Tips for Parents | Comments Off