Jennifer Laviano | Special Ed Justice | Connecticut Special Education Lawyer

10 Special Ed “Back To School” Readiness Questions

Published on August 30, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

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 [...]

Phoebe Prince, Bullying, Disabilities, and the Eggshell Skull

Published on August 10, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

There is a theory in the law known as the “eggshell skull principle”, which, in essence, means that a person who commits a wrongful act takes their victim as they find them. For example, Person A hits Person B over the head with a baseball bat. Of course it’s an assault, but you’d also assume [...]

Filed Under Occasional Rants Tags: Add new tag, attorneys fees under IDEA, bullying, bullying of kids with disabilities, connecticut, Connecticut Education, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, eligibility, Eligibility determinations, Eligibility under IDEA, emotional disabilities under IDEA, emotional disability, evaluations, FAPE, special education, Special Education Law and Advocacy, Special Education Law practice, special education laws, special education testing

The Calm Before The Storm

Published on June 29, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

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 left [...]

Filed Under Parents Tags: 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, 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

The “Dream” Program

Published on May 29, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

So, I already have a page of Ridiculous Comments made by school district personnel, and their lawyers. But lately, I’ve decided that my clients have some doozies also…so I’ve created this page: Truly Funny, Sad, Insightful, or Outrageous Quotes From Parents.
My clients inspire me. They really do. I can not imagine how they manage to [...]

Filed Under Truly Funny, Sad, Insightful, or Outrageous Quotes from Parents Tags: attorneys fees under IDEA, connecticut, Connecticut Education, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, FAPE, IDEA claims, IEP Meetings, Meaningful Parental participation, special education, special education attorneys, Special Education Law and Advocacy, special education laws, special education lawyers

Connecticut Enacts Important Autism Legislation

Published on May 6, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

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 [...]

Filed Under Special Ed - CT specific Tags: 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 education, special education attorneys, Special Education Due Process Hearings, Special Education Law and Advocacy, special education laws

“But Quentin Tarantino is VERY Successful!”

Published on April 25, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

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 [...]

Filed Under Ridiculous Comments Tags: 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, special education, Special Education Law practice, transition services

On Giftedness, Disability, and Public Perceptions

Published on April 20, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

So, I have been following the new series Parenthood with interest. Yes, I loved the movie, and I like enough of the cast members to have tuned in. But I started to commit to watching it weekly when I saw they were incorporating a story line about a family grappling with their child’s diagnosis of [...]

Filed Under Current Affairs Tags: Add new tag, Autism spectrum disorders, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, Eligibility determinations, Eligibility under IDEA, evaluations, giftedness, Meaningful Parental participation, Parent networking for disabilities, special education, Special Education Law and Advocacy

First They Ignore You…

Published on April 17, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

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 [...]

Filed Under Occasional Rants Tags: Add new tag, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, Eligibility determinations, evaluations, FAPE, IDEA claims, IEP Meetings, IEP Team meetings, Meaningful Parental participation, special education, special education attorneys, Special Education Law and Advocacy, special education lawyers

IDEA Hearings: A Hearing Officer’s View

Published on April 6, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

I have known of BJ Ebenstein for years, but only recently did I have the honor of getting to chat with her about the important legal issues that impact children with special education needs. Since I have found in my Connecticut special education law practice that most parents have no idea what information is, and [...]

Filed Under Guest Posts Tags: IDEA Due Process Hearings, IDEA hearings, special education, special education attorneys, Special education due process, Special Education Due Process Hearings, special education hearings, Special Education Law, Special Education Law and Advocacy, special education lawyers, testifying in due process hearings

Even a Broken Clock…

Published on March 25, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

One of the hardest things about being a parents’ special education attorney is that there are times where you realize that the success or failure of the child’s case may depend on how capable the parent is at testifying. That’s a tough pill to swallow.
But every once in a while, you have a moment where [...]

Filed Under Parents Tags: Connecticut Special Education, IDEA Due Process Hearings, special education, Special Education Due Process Hearings, Special Education Law, testimony in due process hearings, witnesses in IDEA cases

Author Archives: Jennifer Laviano