IEP Team Meetings | 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 [...]

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

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

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

What is an IEP “Amendment?”

Published on March 17, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

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 [...]

Filed Under Tips for Parents Tags: 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, written changes to IEP

A Simple Question, Well Placed

Published on February 18, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

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 [...]

Filed Under Tips for Parents Tags: Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, IEP Team meetings, IEP Teams, progress in special education, special education, Special Education Law

Should I Tape Record the IEP Meeting?

Published on January 24, 2010 by Jennifer Laviano

In my special education law practice in Connecticut, parents ask me all the time about tape recording their child’s IEP Team meetings. Like most things, there are benefits and detriments to doing so, and I have heard parents’ attorneys and advocates come down on both sides of the question. Some record each and every IEP [...]

Filed Under Tips for Parents Tags: Connecticut law on tape recording IEP meetings, Connecticut Special Education, documenting IEP meetings, IEP Team meetings, OSEP letter on recording IEP meetings, parental participation in IEP meetings, Record of IEP Meetings, recording IEP Meetings, special education, Special Education Law, special education law in Connecticut

You’re Not Invited

Published on December 15, 2009 by Jennifer Laviano

How is it that, in disputes between parents and school districts, whenever an IEP Team Member starts to align their recommendations with the parents’ position, they suddenly stop getting invited to that child’s IEP Meetings? In my Connecticut special education law practice, I see this all the time.
Example 1: the parents believe that their child [...]

Filed Under Tips for Parents Tags: Connecticut Education, Connecticut Special Education, Connecticut Special Education Law, Duly Constituted IEP Team, IDEA, IEP Team, IEP Team meetings, IEP Team Members, IEP Teams, Invitation to IEP meetings, special education, Special Education Law

The Special Education Blame Game

Published on September 24, 2009 by Jennifer Laviano

It’s unfortunate, but true: when parents of children with disabilities begin to seriously question the appropriateness of the special education program being provided to their child, the school district will often start to play “the blame game.”
The Special Education Blame Game is when educators attempt to assign responsibility for a student’s lack of success in [...]

Filed Under Occasional Rants Tags: Connecticut Special Education, IEP Team meetings, Parent counseling under IDEA, Parent training under IDEA, Parental participation, Parents' concerns, special education, special education and home problems, Special Education Law

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