T hi s di s pos i t i on i s notappr opr i a t e f orpubl i c a t i on and i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by 9th C i r . R . 36- 3. NOT F OR P UB L I CAT I ON UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS FOR T HE NI NTH CI RC UI T C .M ., b y a n d th r o u g h h e rm o th e r , J o d i M ., P la in tif

f - A p p e lla n t, v. DE P AR T ME NT OF E DU C AT I ON , S T A T E O F H A W A I’ I, D ef

endant- A pp el l ee . N o. 10- 16240 D. C . No . 1 : 0 9 - c v - 0 0 2 0 5 - S P KK SC ME MOR AN DU M *

A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt

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H a w a ii K e vi n S . C ha ng, M a gi s tr a t e J udge , P r e s i di ng A r gue d a nd S ubm i tt e d F e brua ry 14, 2012

H o n o lu lu , H a w a ii B efo re: G O O D W IN , T R O T T , an d M U R G U IA , C i rcu i tJu d g es. C .M ., a m in o r, b y a n d th ro u g h h erm o th er , ap p ea ls th e d istrict co u rt’s j udgm e nti n f

a vorof the S t a t e of

H a w a i i D e pa r tm e ntof

E duc a t i on ( “ D O E ” ) . T he d is tr ic t c o u r t u p h e ld th e d e c is io n o f th e a d m in is tr a tiv e h e a r in g s o f f ic e rth a t C .M ., de s pi t e di a gnos e s of

C e ntr a l A udi t ory P r oc e s s i ng D i s or de r( “ C A P D ” ) a nd

# FI LED MA R 01 2012 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS2

A tt e nt i on D e f

i c i tH ype r a c t i vi ty D i s or de r( “ A D H D ” ) , w a s nota“ c hi l d w i th a di s abi l i ty ” f

orpurpos e s of

e l i gi bi l i ty t o r e c e i ve s pe c i a l e duc a t i on s e rvi c e s unde rthe I n d iv idu a ls w ith D is ab ilitie s E d u c a tio n A c t ( “I D E A ” ) , 2 0 U .S .C . § § 1 4 0 0 - 1 4 9 1 . W e h a v e j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e rth i s ap p e a l p u r s u a n tt o 2 8 U . S. C. § 1 2 9 1 , a n d w e a f f i rm. T h is C o u r t r e v ie w s th e d is tr ic t c o u rt’s f in d in g s o f

f a c t f o rc le a re rr o r . A m a n da J

. ex r e l. A n n e tte J

. v . C la rk C o u n ty Sc h . D is t. , 26 7 F . 3d 87 7, 88 7 (9th C i r. 2001) . A f

i ndi ng of f a c ti s c l e a r l y e rr one ous i f “ ‘ the r e vi e w i ng c our ti s l e f tw i th a defi ni t e and fi rm conv i ct i on thata m i st ake has been com m i tt ed. ’ ” I d. ( quot i ng B ur l i ngton N

. , I nc . v . W e y e rhae us e rC o. , 7 1 9 F .2 d 3 0 4 , 3 0 7 ( 9 th C ir . 1 9 8 3 ) ) . W he n apa r ty c ha l l e nge s the out c om e of a n I D E A due pr oc e s s he a r i ng, the re vi ew i ng courtre ce i ves the adm i ni stra t i ve re cord, hear s any addi t i on al evi dence, and, ‘ ‘ basi ng i t s dec i si on on the prepon dera nce of the evi dence, shal l grantsuch r e lie f a s th e c o u r t d e te rm in e s is ap p r o p r ia te .’’ 2 0 U .S .C . § 1 4 1 5 ( i) ( 2 ) ( C ) ( iii) . C o u rt s g i v e “ ‘ d u e w ei g h t ’ ” t o th e st at e ad m i n i strat i v e p ro ceed i n g s, V an D uyn ex r e l . V an D uy n v . B ake rSc hool D is tr i c t 5J , 502, F . 3d 811, 817 ( 9th C i r . 2007) ( quot i ng B d. of

E du c. of H enri ck H ud son C ent . Sch. D ist. v. R ow ley , 458 U . S . 176, 20 6 (19 82 )) , and, ata m i ni m um , “ ‘ m ustconsi der the fi nd i ng s c ar ef ul l y, ’ ” O j ai U ni f i e d Sc hool

D is tr i c t v . J ac k s on , 4 F . 3d 1467, 1474 ( 9th C i r . 1993) ( quot i ng G r eg o r y K. v . L o n g v ie w Sc h . D is t. , 8 1 1 F .2 d 1 3 0 7 , 1 3 1 1 ( 9 th C ir . 1 9 8 7 ) ) . T h is3

co u rt, l ik e th e d istrict co u rt, g iv es p ar ti cu lar d ef er en ce w h er e th e h ea rin g o ff icer ’s adm i ni stra t i ve fi nd i ng s are “ tho roug h and care ful . ” U n io n Sc h . D is t. v . Sm ith , 15 F . 3d 15 19 , 15 24 (9th C i r. 19 94 ). W e tre ata hea ri ng offi ce r’ s f i nd i ng s a s

“ thor ough a nd c a r e f

ul ” w he n, a s he r e , the of f i c e rpa r t i c i pa t e s i n the que s t i oni ng of w i tness es and w ri t es a dec i si on “ cont ai n[i ng ] a c om pl et e f ac tual backgrou nd as w el l as a di sc re t e a nal ys i s s up po rt i ng the ul t i m at e c on cl usi on s. ” P a rk ex rel . P a rk v . A n a h e im U

n io n Hig h Sc h . D is t. , 4 6 4 F . 3 d 1 0 2 5 , 1 0 3 1 ( 9 th C i r . 2 0 0 6 ) . On appe l l a t e r e vi e w , the bur de n of pr oof i s on the pa r ty c ha l l e ngi ng the a dm i ni s tr a t i ve ru lin g , w h ic h in th is c a s e is C .M . Se e M s . S. ex r e l. G . v . V

a s h o n I s la n d Sc h . D is t. , 33 7 F . 3d 11 15 , 11 27 (9th C i r. 20 03 ) ( supers eded by st atut e on o ther groun ds). C ontr a ry t o C . M . ’ s c ont e nt i on, the di s tr i c tc our tdi d note rri n us i ng the s t a nda r d s e tf

or th by the S upr e m e C our ti n R ow ley , 458 U . S . a t206- 207, i n m a ki ng i t s e l i gi bi l i ty de t e rm i na t i on. I n H oo d v. E nci ni tas U

ni on Scho olD istri ct , 486 F . 3d 10 99 (9th C i r. 20 07 ), w e a dd re ss ed the R ow leybenefi tst andard and h el d thati tw as ap p r o p r ia te f

o rc o u r ts to u s e th e b e n e f it s ta n d a r d in d e te rm in in g w h e th e rac h ild “is r e c e i vi ng a de qua t e a c c om m oda t i ons i n the ge ne r a l c l a s s r oom –a nd thus i s not ent i t l ed t o speci al educat i on se rvi ce s. ” Id . at11 07 . A cc ordi ng l y, the di stri ctcourt ap p lie d th e p r o p e rs ta n d a r d in d e te rm in in g th a t, b a s e d o n C .M .’s p e r f o rm a n c e in her r egul areducat i on cl as se s, w i th acc om m od at i on s and m od i fi ca t i on s, C . M . w as4

abl e t o be ne f

i tf r om he rge ne r a l e duc a t i on c l a s s e s w i thouts pe c i a l e duc a t i on s e rv ic e s . T h e r e c o r d d o e s n o t s u p p o r t C .M .’s c o n te n tio n th a t th e D O E f a ile d to e va l ua t e he ri n a l l a r e a s of s us pe c t e d di s abi l i ty unde rthe “ C hi l d F i nd” pr ovi s i ons o f th e I D E A . See 20 U . S . C . § 1 41 4(b)(3)(B). H er e, the heari ng s off i ce r f ou nd that due t o C . M . ’ s di a gnos e s of C A P D a nd A D H D , a s w e l l a s the i nf orm a t i on cont ai ned i n C . M . ’ s a ca dem i c a nd spee ch-l angu age a ss es sm ent s, “ the D O E had re as on t o suspectthat[C . M . ] m ayhave aca dem i c and spee ch-l angu age defi ci t s. ” I n d e e d , th e s e d is ab ility c a te g o r ie s w e r e d is c u s s e d a t th e A u g u s t 1 9 , 2 0 0 8 e lig ib ility m e e t i ng. T he D O E r e vi e w e d C . M . ’ s pr i ors c hool r e c or ds , ps y c hol ogi c a l a nd m edi ca l re po rt s, st andardi ze d t es t i ng dat a, grades , att endance re cords, t ea cher o b s e rv a tio n s a n d r e p o r ts , p a r e n ta l in p u t, s tu d e n t in p u t, a n d s tu d e n t w o rks a m p le s . B as ed on thi s i nform at i on , the D O E det erm i ned thatC . M . di d n otre qu i re spec i al e d u c a tio n s e rv ic e s b e c au s e s h e w a s ab le to p e r f o rm a n d c o m p e te s u c c e s s f u lly in th e g en er al ed u ca ti o n clas se s. F u rth er , b as ed o n th e tes ti m o n y o f tw o o f C .M .’ s t e a c he r s tha tC . M . di d note xhi bi ta ny be ha vi or a l pr obl e m s , the D O E di d notha ve an y reaso n t o su sp ectan y em o t i o n al d i stu rb an ce th atw o u l d req u i re i tt o assess C . M . i n thi s a r e a . A c c or di ngl y , the D O E m e ti t s c hi l d f i nd obl i ga t i ons by a s s e s s i ng C . M . i n al l areas o f su sp ect ed d i sab i l i ty.W e de c l i ne t o a ddr e s s a ny a r gum e nt s w i th r e s pe c tt o thi s i s s ue r a i s e d by 1 C .M . in h e r2 8 (

j) le tte ro ra t o r a l a r g u m e n t th a t w e r e n o t p r e s e n te d in h e rb r ie f s . S uch argum ent s w ou l d, i n any event , no taf fe ctthe ou t com e her e. 5 F u r th e r , w e f

i n d n o c l e a re rr o ri n th e d i s tr i c tc o u r t ’ s d e t e rm i n a t i o n th a tC . M. w as benefi tt i ng i n the re gu l arcl as sr oo m and there fore di d n otre qu i re spec i al e duc a t i on s e rvi c e s . C . M . pr ovi de s no s uppor tf orhe rc l a i m tha ts om e of the s p e c if ic m o d if ic a tio n s in h e r5 0 4 p la n , in c lu d in g th e R E A D 1 8 0 p r o g r a m , a s w e ll a s the pr e - a l ge br ac our s e a nd m a th l ab, w e r e “ s pe c i a l i z e d i ns truc t i on” w i thi n the m eani ng of the ID E A . T he di stri ctcourtfoun d, and w e a gree , thatsubst ant i al e v id e n c e s u p p o r te d th e h e a r in g s o f f ic e r ’s c o n c lu s io n th a t th e s e r e a d in g a n d m a th c l a s s e s w e r e not“ s pe c i a l e duc a t i on” c l a s s e s , butr a the rw e r e r e gul a re duc a t i on cl as se s w i th sm al l enrol l m ent s des i gn ed t o p rovi de addi t i on al supp ortand w er e o p e n to m a n y typ e s o f

s tu d e n ts w h o n e e d e d a d d itio n a l h e lp . I n a ddi t i on, w e c onc l ude tha tC . M . ha s notm e the rbur de n of de m ons tr a t i ng th a t s h e is e lig ib le f

o rs p e c ia l e d u c a tio n s e rv ic e s u n d e rth e c a te g o ry o f “s p e c if ic le a rn in g d is ab ility .” T o b e e lig ib le u n d e rth is c a te g o ry , as tu d e n t m u s t n o t o n ly 1 dem on stra t e ase vere di sc re pancy betw ee n actual ac hi evem entand i nt el l ec tual abi l i ty a s dem on stra t ed by a di ff er ence of atl ea ston e and on e- hal f s t andard de vi a t i ons i n one orm or e of the l i s t e d a r e a s , buta l s o m us tde m ons tr a t e tha t , ha vi ng6

b e e n “p r o v id e d w ith le a rn in g e x p e r ie n c e s ap p r o p r ia te f o r[ h e r ] a g e a n d ab ility l evel s, [s he] do es no tac hi eve c om m ensura t e w i th [her] age a nd abi l i ty l evel s. ” H .A .R . § 8 - 5 6 - 2 6 ( r e p e a le d N o v . 2 3 , 2 0 0 9 ) . T he heari ng s off

i ce r f ou nd thatthe evi dence di d n otshow thatC . M . had de m ons tr a t e d e ve n the s e c ond pa r tof thi s t e s t , i . e . , tha ts he w a s nota c hi e vi ng. T he hear i ng s off

i ce r poi nt ed t o speci fi c t es t i m on y by C . M . ’ s t ea cher s thatshe w as pr ogr e s s i ng appr opr i a t e l y i n he rc l a s s e s . G i vi ng due de f e r e nc e t o the he a r i ngs o f f ic e r ’s th o r o u g h a n d c a r e f u l f in d in g s , U

n io n Sc h . D is t. , 1 5 F .3 d a t 1 5 2 4 , w e h o ld thatC . M . has notm ether burden o f s ho w i ng thatthe di stri ctcourt , w hi ch af fi rm ed th e h e a r i n g s o f

f i c e ri n th i s r e g a r d , c o m m i tt e d c l e a re rr o rb y n o tf i n d i n g C . M. e lig ib le f o rs p e c ia l e du c a tio n a n d r e la te d s e rv ic e s u n d e rth e c a te g o ry o f s p e c if ic l earn i n g d i sab i l i ty. C . M . a l s o c ont e nds tha tthe di s tr i c tc our tc om m i tt e d c l e a re rr orby not fi nd i ng C . M . el i gi bl e f

or spec i al educat i on and rel at ed se rvi ce s und erthe ca t egory of “ other heal th i m pai rm ent . ” See H .A .R . § 8 - 5 6 - 2 5 ( r e p e a le d N o v . 2 3 , 2 0 0 9 ) . C .M . m a k e s n o a r g u m e n t in th is r e g a r d a n d th u s h a s w a iv e d th e is s u e . N on ethel es s, the heari ng s off i ce r det erm i ned thatal tho ug h C . M . has bee n di a gnos e d w i th A D H D , s he di d nots how tha ts he ha s “ l i m i t e d s tr e ngth, vi t a l i ty , or a le r tn e s s ,” n o rd id s h e s h o w “th a t a n y h e a lth im p a irm e n t [ s h e ] m a y h a v e a d v e r s e ly7

af fe ct s [ her] educat i on al perf orm ance . ” I

d. T h e r e f

o r e , C .M . h a s f

a ile d to de m ons tr a t e c l e are rr ori n thi s de t e rm i na t i on. In l i gh tof the foregoi ng , C . M . has f ai l ed t o d em on stra t e thatthe di stri ct co u rt co m m itted clea r e rr o r in d eter m in in g , b as ed o n th e h ea rin g s o ff icer ’s “th o r o u g h a n d c a r e f

u l” f in d in g s , U

n io n Sc h . D is t. , 1 5 F .3 d a t 1 5 2 4 , th a t C .M . d id notr e qui r e s pe c i a l e duc a t i on s e rvi c e s a nd tha the rne e ds c oul d be m e ti n a504 pl a n. T he r e a r e no f

i ndi ngs of

f a c ttha tl e a ve thi s C our tw i th a ny ki nd of

“ conv i ct i on thata m i st ake has been com m i tt ed, ” A m an da J. , 267 F . 3d a t887, a nd the r e i s no e rr ori n the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s c onc l us i on tha tthe D O E di d notvi ol a t e the ID E A i n thi s c as e. A cc ordi ng l y, w e AF F I RM th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s ju d g m e n t.