# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _
No. 1 2- 38 41

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ B.M., a Mi no r, by and th ro ug h Hi s Nex t Fr ie nd s, Ro ge r Mi ll er an d S ha ro n M il le r;

Ro ge r Mi ll er, In di vi du al ly; Sha ro n M il le r, In di vi du al ly

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff s - Ap pe ll an ts

v.

So ut h C al la way

R-II S ch oo l Di st ric t

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll ee

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Weste rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i - J effe rs on Cit y

__ __ __ __ __ __
Su bm it te d: Sep te m

be r 26 , 20 13 Fil ed : Oct ob er 1 7, 2 01 3

__ __ __ __ __ __
Befo re RI LEY, Chi ef J ud ge , BYE and GRUENDER, Circu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ GRUENDER, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

B.M. a n d hi s pa ren ts , Sh aro n Mi ll er (“ Ms

. Mi ll er”) an d Ro ge r Mi ll er (co ll ect iv el y , “ th e Mi ll ers ”), app eal th e di st ric t cou rt’s gr an t of su m m ary jud gm en t 1

The Hon or ab le Nan et te K. La u gh rey, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e 1 W es te rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.in fav or of th e So ut h Cal la way R-II Sch oo l Dis tri c t ( “t h e Dis tri ct ”) on th ei r cl ai m s

al le gi ng vi ol at io ns of § 50 4 of th e Reh ab il it at io n Act of 19 73 (“ § 50 4 ” )
, 2 9 U

. S.C. §§ 79 4 an d 79 4a
, an d Tit le II of th e Am eri can s wit h D i sa bi li ti es Act (“ ADA”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12 13 1 et

seq . For t he reas on s d is cu ss ed be lo w, we affi rm

.

I. Ba ck gr ou nd

B .M., a fo ur te en -y ear- ol d bo y , li ve s in Cal la way Co un ty, Mi ss ou ri, a n d h a s
at te nd ed pu bl ic sc ho ol s o p e r a t e d b y th e Dis tri ct si nc e he was fiv e y ears ol d. As a
y ou ng ch il d, he ne ve r ex hi bi te d un us ua l be ha vi or al di ffi cu lt ie s. Howev er, du rin g th e
sp rin g of 20 07 —wh il e he was in se co nd gr ad e—B .M. be ga n to act ou t at sc ho ol

. In
earl y Apr il 20 07
, he was se nt to th e pr in ci pa l’s of fic e se ve ral ti m es fo r di sr up ti ng cl a s s

. H is m is be ha vi or es cal at ed la te r th at m on th whe n he th rew ch ai rs , hi t two

te ach ers , an d bi t an d sc rat ch ed Jo hn Ell is to n, th e sc ho ol ’s pr in ci pa l. As a res ul t, B.M.

rece iv ed a da y -an d- a-h al f su sp en si on

. On May 1, with in da y s of retu rn in g from hi s

su sp en si on , B.M. th rew a ch ai r, ov ert ur ne d de sk s an d a t a b l e , an d us ed ob sc en e la ng ua ge . He was s us pe nd ed ag ai n, t hi s t im e fo r po rti on s o f fo ur da y s.

Bei ng un de rs ta nd ab ly conc er ne d by B.M.’s pr og res si ve ly wor se ni ng be ha vi or ,
on May 4, 20 07
, Ms

. Mi ll er to ok hi m to se e Dr. Mac Elro y , a pe di at ric ia n wit h

ex pe rti se tre at in g ch il dr en wit h be ha vi or al pr ob le m s. Dr. Mac Elro y di d no t di ag no se B.M. wi th an y

be ha vi or al di so rd er, b ut rat he r refe rred hi m to th e Tho m ps on Cen te r fo r fu rth er ev al ua ti on

. Dr. Mac Elro y al so pr ov id ed Ms

. Mi ll er wit h fo rm s fo r B.M.’s

te ach ers to reco rd th ei r ob se r v a t i o n s of hi s cl as sr oo m co nd uc t. The Dis tri ct ’s

te ach ers pr om

pt ly co m pl et ed th e fo rm s. By th e en d of t h e 2 0 0 6

- 2 0 0 7 sc ho ol y ear, Ms

. Mi ll er ha d no t req ue st ed th at th e Dis tri ct ev al ua te or acco m m od at e he r so n un de r ei th er § 50 4 or th e In di vi du al s wit h Dis ab il it ie s in Edu cat io n Act (“ID EA ” ), 20 U.S.C. §§ 14 00 et

seq

.

-2

-W he n B.M. ret ur ne d fo r hi s th ird -g rad e y ear, hi s se rio us be ha vi or al pr ob le m s

res um ed

. Tha t fal l, Ms

. Mi ll er m et se ve ral ti m es wit h Ell is to n to di sc us s al te rn at iv e

s t rat eg ie s fo r ad dr es si ng B.M.’s be ha vi or

. Ell is to n en co ur ag ed he r to ta ke B

. M

. t o

co un se li ng , st res si ng th at sh e sh ou ld no t de la y se ek in g ps y ch ol og ic al tre at m en t. He

g a v e he r writ te n in fo rm at io n ab ou t ou ts id e res ou rces th at m ig ht be he lp fu l

. M s

. Mi ll er al so ha d se ve ral ex te nd ed m eet in gs wit h Dr. Dus ti n St or m , th e Dis tri ct ’s

su pe rin te nd en t.

In Decem be r 20 07 or Ja nu ary 20 08
, Ell is to n pr op os ed th at th e Dis tri ct ev al ua te
B. M

. f o r acco m m od at io n un de r th e IDEA. He pr ov id ed Ms

. Mi ll er wit h fo rm s
req ui red to au th or iz e an IDEA ev al ua ti on an d as ke d th at sh e r e t ur n th em to Ang ie
Tram well
, a sc ho ol em

pl oyee, whe n co m

pl et ed

. Ms

. Mi ll er refu se d to co m pl et e th e

au th or iz at io n fo rm s. Tram well is a rel at i v e o f Ro ge r Mi ll er, an d Ms . M il le r fear ed
th at in vo lv in g Tram

well m ig ht cau se fri ct io n wit hi n th e fam il y an d di ss em in at io n of

pe rs on al in fo r mat io n to ot he r fam il y m em be rs

. Thre e ti m es Ell is to n req ue st ed th at
Ms

. Mi ll er co m

pl et e th e au th or iz at io n fo rm s so th at th e Dis tri ct co ul d co m m en ce th e IDEA pr oc es s. And th ric e Ms

. Mi ll er refu se d to do so , ul ti m at el y ret ur ni ng th e fo rm s bl an k. In res po ns e, Ell is to n to ld Ms

. Mi ll er th at sh e co ul d ob ta in an ev al ua ti on fro m

an ou ts id e p art y

.

In Feb ru ary 20 08
, Ms

. Mi ll er to ok B.M. to th e Tho m ps on Cen te r, whe re he was di ag no se d wit h ADHD. Sk ep ti cal of th is di ag no si s, Ms

. Mi ll er to ok B.M. to se e Dr.
Je f f Ta r r a nt , who di ag no se d hi m wit h dysth y m ic di so rd er, a fo rm of de pr es si on

. Neit he r ph y si ci an reco m

m en de d ev al ua ti on or acco m m od at io n un de r ei th er § 50 4 or th e IDEA.

Als o in Feb ru ary 20 08
, B.M. be ga n week ly co un se li ng se ss io ns wit h Ken da ll Gray so n. To faci li ta te h e r e v a l ua ti on s, th e Dis tri ct pe rm it te d Gray so n to ob se rv e B.M. in cl as s. Gray so n reco m m en de d th at th e Dis tri ct pr ov id e a “ ch il l-o ut ro om ” fo r B.M. whe n he be cam e ag it at ed . She als o re co m m en de d t ha t B.M . b e pl aced wit h a

-3

-pa rti cu la r te ach er fo r th e fo ll owi ng sc ho ol y ear. The Dis tri ct i mp l e men t ed bo th of

th es e reco m

m en da ti on s. Des pi te th es e effo rts , B.M.’s be ha vi or al pr ob le m s pe rs is te d.

On Sep te m

be r 18
, 20 08 —ea rly in B.M.’s fo u r t h

- g rad e y ear— Ms

. Mi ll er
req ue st ed fo r th e fir st ti m e th at th e Dis tri ct ev al ua te B.M. un de r § 50 4. The Dis tri ct in si st ed th at it fir st co nd uc t an IDEA ev al ua ti on , whi ch Ms

. Mi ll er au th or iz ed

. W he n M s

. M i l le r ex pr es se d co nc ern ov er th e Dis tri ct ’s pl an to pl ace B.M. in sp e c i a l
ed uc at io n cl as se s fo r pa rt of th e ev al ua ti on pr oc es s, th e Dis tri ct ad op te d he r

reco m m en da ti on t h a t B

. M. rem ai n in or di na ry cl as se s wit h as si st an ce fro m a

“ faci li ta to r.” Late r, at Ms

. Mi ll er’s req ue st , th e Dis tri ct rep la ced th e faci li ta to r so on th erea fte r. On ei th e r Octo be r 30 or 31
, Ms

. Mi ll er ag ai n req ue st ed a § 50 4

ev al ua ti on , bu t th e Dis tri ct in fo rm ed he r th at it wou ld no t co nd uc t a § 50 4 ev al ua ti on

un ti l i t h ad co m

pl et ed it s IDEA ev al ua ti on

.

In la te Nov em

be r, th e Dis tri ct co nc lu de d th at B.M. di d no t qu al i f y fo r

acco m m od at io n un de r th e IDE A a n d p ro m pt ly pr ov id ed Ms

. Mi ll er wit h a § 50 4

r e ferr al fo rm

. The Dis tri ct pr op os ed a § 50 4 ed uc at io n pl an on Dece mb e r 1 a n d
be ga n i mple m en ti ng th e pl an on Decem be r 8. Ms . M il le r ob

jecte d to th e de ta il s of
th e pl an an d, co ns eq ue nt ly, pu ll ed B.M. ou t o f sc ho ol

. Sh e al so fil ed a co m pl ai nt

w i t h th e Uni te d St at es Dep art m en t of Edu cat io n’s Offi ce of Ci vi l Ri gh ts (“ OCR”)
, al le gi ng nu m ero us st at ut or y an d reg ul at or y vi ol at io ns

. On Ja nu ary 8, 20 09
, Dis tri ct of fic ia ls pr es en te d a rev is ed § 50 4 pl an in a m eet in g wit h Ms

. Mi ll er, bu t sh e reject ed
th is pl an as well

. In Mar ch 20 0 9
, t h e Dis tri ct pr op os ed y et an ot he r § 50 4 pl an

. Fi na ll y , Ms

. Mi ll er perm it te d B.M. to ret ur n to sc ho ol un de r th at pl an

. The Dis tri ct

rev is ed th e p la n o nc e m or e in Aug us t 2 00 9.

-4

-In May 20 10
, OCR co m pl et ed it s in ve st ig at io n an d co nc lu de d th at th e Dis tri ct h a d f a i l ed to co m

pl y wit h two reg ul at io ns im pl em en ti ng § 50 4 an d th e ADA. 2
Howev er, OCR fo un d th at th e reco rd di d no t su pp or t Ms

. M i l l e r ’s o th er twel ve

co m pl ai nt s, in cl ud in g he r al le ga ti on s th at th e Dis tri ct fai le d t o ev al ua te B.M.,
im pl em en t a § 50 4 pl an , or co ns id er ad eq ua te ly he r in pu t. The OCR de ci si on di d no t

su gg es t an y

wron gf ul in te nt by the Dis tri ct

.

On Ja nu ary 2 0, 20 11 , t he Mi ll ers fil ed th is act io n rai si ng cl ai m s un de r § 50 4

an d th e ADA. The Mi ll ers pr em is ed th ei r cl ai m s on th e Dis tri ct ’s al le ge d fai lu res to

ev al ua te an d acco m

m o d a t e B.M. an d to co m pl y wit h st at ut or y pr oc ed ur al

req ui rem en ts . Th e Dis tri ct m ov ed for su m m ary jud gm en t on se ve ral gr ou nd s. The
d i st ric t co ur t gr an te d th e Dis tri ct ’s m ot io n, ho ld in g th at th e Mi ll ers ha d fai le d t o

ex ha us t t he ir ad m in is tra ti ve rem ed ie s un de r th e IDEA. The M il le rs fil ed a m ot io n 3
fo r reco ns id erat io n, ar g ui ng th at th ey sh ou ld be ex cu se d fro m ex ha us ti ng th ei r ad m in is tra ti ve rem ed ie s be cau se ex ha us ti ng th os e rem ed ie s wou ld be fu t i l e

. The
di st r ic t co ur t gr an te d th e Mi ll ers ’ m ot io n in pa rt, va cat ed it s pr io r or de r, an d ag ai n
gr an te d su m

m ary jud gm en t in fav or of th e Dis tri ct , th is ti m e on th e gr ou nd th at th ere

was no ge nu in e di sp ut e whe th er th e Dis tri ct ha d act ed in b a d f a i t h o r wit h gr os s

m is jud gm en t. The Mi ll ers fil ed a se co nd m ot io n fo r reco ns id erat io n, arg ui ng fo r th e

OCR co nc lu de d th at th e Dis tri ct ha d us ed erro ne ou s cri te ria in de t e r mini ng 2 whe th er it s su sp en si on s of B.M. co ns ti tu te d a si gn ifi can t ch an ge in ed uc at io na l pl acement warra nt in g a m an ife st at io n he ari ng

. OCR fu rth er co nc lu de d th at th e

m at eri al s pr ov id ed by th e Dis tri ct ex pl ai n i n g st at ut or y pr oc ed ur al sa feg ua rd s pr ov id ed in ad eq ua te de ta il reg ard in g th e co m pl ai nt an d he ari ng pr oc es s. The Dis tri ct

en te red in to vo lu nt ary co m pl ia nc e ag reem en ts wit h OCR to rem ed y bo th vi ol at io ns

.
Alt ho ug h th e Mi ll ers di d no t rai se c l a i ms un de r th e IDEA, a pa rty m us t 3

ex ha us t th e ad m in is tra ti ve rem ed ie s av ai la bl e unde r the ID EA be fo re br in gi ng a cl ai m

un de r a di ffer en t st at ut e se ek in g rel ie f th at is al so av ai la bl e un de r th e IDEA. J.B. ex

re l. Bai le y v. Avil la R-XIII Sc h. Dis t. , 72 1 F.3 d 58 8, 59 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ) (ci t i n g 20 U.S.C. § 1 41 5( l))

.
-5

-fir st ti m e th at th ey ne ed no t sh ow th at th e Dis tri ct ha d act ed in ba d fai th or wit h gr os s

m is jud gm en t. The di st ric t cou rt de ni ed th e m ot io n, and th e jud gm en t beca m e fin al

. The Mi ll ers ti m el y

ap pe al ed th e g ran t o f su m m ary jud gm en t.

II . Dis cus si on

W e rev ie w a di st ric t co ur t’s gr an t of su m m ary jud gm en t de no vo , affi rm in g if

“ th ere is no ge nu in e di sp ut e as to an y m at eri al f a c t a n d t h e m ov an t is en ti tl ed to jud gm en t as a m at te r of la w.” Fed .R.Ci v.P

. 56 (a). “ The no n- m ov in g pa rty rece iv es th e be ne fit of al l reas on ab le in fere nc es su pp or te d by th e ev id en ce, bu t ha s ‘the
ob li ga ti on to co m e fo rward wit h sp eci fic fact s sh owi ng th at th ere is a ge nu in e is su e fo r tri al .’ ” Atki ns on v. Ci ty of Mou nt ai n View
, 70 9 F.3d 12 01
, 12 07 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ) (q uo ti ng Dah l v. Rice Cn ty

. , 62 1 F.3 d 74 0, 74 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 )). A co m pl et e fai lu re by th e no n- m ov in g pa rty “ to m ak e a sh owi ng su ffi ci en t to es ta bl is h th e ex is te nc e of

an el em en t es se nt ia l to th at pa rty’ s cas e

. . . ne ces s a r i l y r e nd ers al l ot he r fact s im m at eri al .” Cel ot ex Co rp . v. Cat re tt , 47 7 U.S. 3 17 , 32 2- 23 (19 86 ).

Tit le II of th e ADA pr oh ib it s pu bl ic en ti ti es , in cl ud in g pu b l i c s c h oo ls
, fro m excl ud in g qu al ifi ed in di vi du al s wit h di sa bi li ti es fro m pa rti ci pa ti on in or bene fi ts fr om th a t e n ti ty’ s se rv ic es , p ro gr am s, or act iv it ie s. 42 U.S.C. § 12 13 2. Si m il arl y , § 50 4

o f th e Reh ab il it at io n Act pr ov id es th at “ [n ]o ot he rwis e qu al ifi ed in di vi du al wit h a di sa bi li ty

. . . sh al l, so le ly b y reas on of hi s or he r di sa bi li ty, be ex cl ud ed fro m th e
pa rti ci pa ti on in
, be de ni ed th e be ne fit s of
, or be su bjec te d to di sc riminat io n un de r an y
pr og ram or act iv it y rece iv in g Fed eral fin an ci al as si st an ce.” 29 U.S.C. § 79 4( a). “ W e ha ve he ld th at th e en fo rcem en t, rem ed ie s, an d rig ht s are th e sa m e un de r bo th Tit le II
of th e ADA an d § 50 4 of th e Reh ab il it at io n Act.” Bir min gh am v. Omah a Sc h. Dis t. , 22 0 F.3 d 85 0, 85 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 00 ). On ap pe al
, th e pa rti es do no t co nt es t th at th es e
st at ut es ap pl y

to th e Dis tri ct or t ha t B.M . is a qu al ifi ed in di vi du al

.

-6

-W e ha ve co ns is te nt ly he ld th at “ [w]here al le ge d ADA an d § 50 4 vi ol at io ns are

ba se d on ed uc at io na l se rv ic es fo r di sa bl ed ch il dr en , th e pl ai nt iff m us t pr ov e th at

sc ho ol of fic ia ls act ed in ba d fai th or wit h gr os s m is jud gm en t.” Bir min gh am , 22 0 F.3 d

at 85 6; se e a ls o M.Y

. ex re l. J.Y

. v . S pe ci al Sc h. Dis t. No . 1 , 54 4 F .3d 88 5, 8 88 (8t h
Ci r. 20 08 ). Des pi te ou r lo ng st an di ng ad he ren ce to th is req ui rem en t, th e Mi ll ers of fer

se ve ral arg um en ts fo r why we sh ou ld no t ob li ga te th em to sh ow th at th e Dis tri ct act ed
in ba d fai th or wit h gr os s m is jud gm en t. The Mi ll ers di d no t co nt es t ap pl ic at io n of th e ba d fai th or gr os s m is

jud gm en t req ui rem en t in th ei r op po si ti on to su m m ary jud gm en t.
Rat he r, th ey f

i r st ch al le ng ed th e req ui rem en t in th ei r se co nd m ot io n fo r

reco ns id erat io n, an d th ey rai se so m e of th ei r arg um en ts for th e fi rs t t im e o n a pp eal

.

“ [I]n an ap pe al co nt es ti ng an ad ve rs e g ran t o f su m m ary jud gm en t,” “ a pa rty cann ot

as se rt arg um en ts th at were no t pr es en te d to th e di st ric t co ur t in op po si ng s u mm ary jud gm en t.” Tr

s. of Elec tr ic ia ns ’ Sa la ry Defe rr al Pla n v. W ri gh t , 68 8 F.3 d 92 2, 92 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ) (q uo ti ng Co le v. In t’l Uni on , 53 3 F.3 d 93 2, 93 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 )); se e al so W in th ro p Res. Co rp

. v. Eat on Hyd ra ul ic s, In c. , 36 1 F.3 d 46 5, 46 9 ( 8 t h C ir.
20 04 ) (d ecl in in g to co ns id er arg um en ts fir st rai se d in Ru le 59 (e) m ot io n)

. The
Mi ll ers ha ve no t pr es erv ed th es e arg um en ts fo r ap pe ll at e rev ie w, an d th us we wil l no t

co ns i d e r th em

. Acco rd in gl y , we pr oc eed to co ns id er whe th er th e di st ric t co ur t

pr op erl y co nc lu de d th at th ere was no ge nu i n e d i sp ut e whe th er th e Dis tri ct act ed in
ba d fa it h o r wit h g ro ss m is jud gm en t.

In or de r to es ta bl is h ba d fai th or gr os s m is jud gm en t, a pl ai nt iff m

us t sh ow th at th e de fen da nt ’s co nd uc t “ de pa rt[ ed ] su bs ta nt ia ll y fro m ‘accep te d pr o fes si on al jud gm en t, pr act ic e or st an da rd s [s o] as to de m on st rat e th at th e pe rs on [s ] res po ns ib le

act ua ll y di d no t ba se th e de ci si on on su ch a jud gm en t.’” M.Y

. , 54 4 F.3 d at 88 9 (q uo ti ng Mon ah an v. Neb ra sk a , 68 7 F.2 d 11 64
, 11 70 -7 1 (8 th Ci r. 19 82 )) (th ird
al te r a t io n in or ig in al ). Bec au se th e ADA an d § 50 4 do no t “ crea t[e ] ge ne ral to rt li ab il it y fo r ed uc at io na l m al pr act ic e,” ba d fai th or gr os s m is jud gm en t req ui res

“ so m et hi ng m or e” th an m ere no n- co m pl ia nc e wit h th e ap pl ic ab le fed eral st at ut es

. Mon ah an , 68 7 F.2 d at 11 70

. The de fen da nt ’s st at ut or y no n- co m pl ia nc e m us t de vi at e

-7

-so su bs ta nt ia ll y fro m acce pt ed pr of es si on al jud gm en t, pr act ic e, or st an da rd s as t o de m on st rat e th at th e d efen da nt act ed wit h wro ng fu l i nt en t. M.Y

. , 54 4 F .3d at 8 89

.

The Mi ll ers id en ti fy se ve ral fact s th at th ey be li ev e s u p p o rt a sh owi ng of ba d
fai th or gr os s m is

jud gm en t by th e Dis tri ct

. The y rel y he av il y on OCR’s fin di ng s th at th e Dis tri ct fai le d to co m pl y wit h cert ai n reg ul at io ns im pl e men t i n g § 50 4 an d th e ADA. The y al so ci te se ve ral ot he r fact s, in c l u d i n g (1 ) th e Dis tri ct ’s rep eat ed

su sp en si on s of B.M.; (2 ) th e Dis tri ct ’s in si st en ce th at it fir st ev al ua te B.M. un de r th e IDEA, whi ch co ul d ha ve res ul te d in hi m be in g pl aced in sp eci al ed uc at io n; (3 ) th e Dis tri ct ’s fa ilu

re to co nc lu de th at B.M. qu al ifi ed fo r acco m m od at io n un de r § 50 4 un ti l
Decem be r 20 08
, ev en th ou gh Ell is to n’s ori gi na l pr op os al to ev al ua te hi m un de r th e IDEA s ug ge st s no ti ce of hi s p os si bl e di sa bi li ty as earl y as Decem be r 20 07 ; an d (4 )
th e Dis tri ct ’s fai lu re t o i m pl em en t an ad eq ua te § 5 04 pl an un ti l M arch 20 09

.

The se fact s, ev en whe n vi ewed in th e li gh t m os t fav or ab le to th e Mi ll ers , do no t sh ow ba d fai th or gr os s m is jud gm en t by th e Dis tri ct

. The Mi ll ers ha ve no t pr es en te d

an y ev id en ce reg ard in g wha t an acce pt ed pr o f e s s i on al jud gm en t wou ld ha ve be en

un de r t h e ci rcu m st an ces or ho w th e Dis tri ct ’s co nd uc t su bs ta nt ia ll y de pa rte d fro m

su ch a jud gm en t. Nor do th es e fact s su pp or t ev en an in fere nc e of wro ng fu l in te nt by
th e Dis tri ct

. Mo st of t h e f a c ts ci te d by th e Mi ll ers am ou nt to no th in g m or e th an
po ss ib le in st an ces of st at ut or y no n- co m pl ia nc e. As no te d ab ov e, st at u t o r y n on

co mp l i a n c e al on e do es no t co ns ti tu te ba d fai th or gr os s m is jud gm en t. Our cas es
req ui re “ so m et hi ng m or e,” an d h ere t he Mi ll ers ha ve no t m ad e th at sh owi ng

.

The Mi ll ers ’ al le g a t i on s th at th e Dis tri ct de la y ed § 50 4 ev al ua ti on an d

acco m m od at io n, de sp it e ha vi ng no ti ce of B.M.’s di sa bi li ty, do no t su pp or t a fin di ng of ba d fai th or gr os s m is

jud gm en t. Und er so m e ci rcu m st an ces , no ti ce of a st ud en t’s
di sa bi li ty co up le d wi th de la y in im pl em en ti ng acco m

m od at io ns can sh ow ba d fai th

or gr os s m is

jud gm en t. Se e, e.g

. , M.P. ex re l. K. v. In de p. Sc h. Dis t. No

. 72 1
, 32 6 F.3 d
97 5, 98 2- 83 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 ). Ho w e v e r , i n t h is cas e, th e de la y s m us t be ev al ua te d

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-wit hi n th e co nt ex t of th e Dis tri ct ’s nu m ero us an d co nt in uo us at te m pt s to as si st B.M.
Th e D i s tri ct was th e fir st pa rty to pr op os e acco m m od at io n fo r B.M., rep eat ed l y

se ek in g au th or iz at io n to pu rs ue th e IDEA ev al ua ti on p ro ces s. Ms

. Mi ll er refu se d
th ree t im es to au th or iz e th os e ev al ua ti on s. Eve n so , th e Dis tri ct co nt in ue d to

co o p e r at e wit h Ms . M il le r in se ek in g to ad dr es s B.M.’s be ha vi or al is su es

. Ell is to n

an d Dr. St or m each m et wit h Ms

. Mi ll er nu m ero us ti m es reg ar d i n g B .M. Ell is to n

en co ur ag ed Ms

. Mi ll er to se ek co un se li ng fo r B.M. an d pr ov id ed he r wit h
in fo rm at io n ab ou t o u t s i d e res ou rces th at m ig ht be he lp fu l. The Dis tri ct ’s te ach ers

co op erat ed wit h Dr. Mac Elro y ’s req ue st th at th ey pr ov id e th ei r ob se rv at io ns of B.M.

at sc ho ol

. The Dis tri ct pe rm it te d Gray so n to ob se rv e B.M. in cl as s an d im pl em en te d
he r reco m m en da ti on s reg ard in g th e “ ch il l-o ut ro om ” an d B.M.’s te ach er as si gn m en t. At Ms

. Mi ll er’s req ue st , th e Dis tri ct as si gn ed B.M. a “ faci li ta to r” to as si st hi m in
cl as s and rep la ced th e faci li ta to r at Ms

. Mi ll er’s di rect io n. Onc e th e Dis tri ct fin al ly

was ab le to co m

pl et e an IDEA ev al ua ti on , it pr om pt ly im pl em en te d a § 50 4 pl an an d
th en twi ce rev is ed it to ad dr es s Ms

. Mi ll er’s co nc ern s. Not hi ng in th e reco rd su gg es ts

an y t h i n g m or e th an di sa gr eem en t be twee n a sc ho ol an d a co nc ern ed pa ren t as bo th

st ru gg le d to m eet B.M.’s ne ed s. Und er th es e ci rcu m st an ces , th e ADA an d § 50 4 do

no t p e r mi t th e fed eral co ur ts to se co nd -g ue ss th e ed uc at io na l de ci si on s of sc ho ol
of fic ia ls

. In li gh t of

th e Dis tri ct ’s p ers is te nt effo rts to ai d B.M., no reas on ab le jury

co ul d co nc lu de th at th e de la y s in acco m m od at in g hi m res ul te d fro m ba d fai th or gr os s

m is jud gm en t by th e Dis tri ct

. Se e Smi th v. Hy-Vee, In c. , 62 2 F.3 d 90 4, 90 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 1 0) (ex pl ai ni ng th at su m m ary jud gm en t is ap pr op ria te whe n “ no reas on ab le jury

co ul d re tu rn a ve rd ic t fo r th e n on -m ov in g p art y ”).

II I. Co ncl us io n

Bec au se th e Mi ll ers ha ve fai le d to pr es en t ev id en ce of ba d fai t h or gr os s mi s ju dg m en t by th e Dis tri ct —an es se nt ia l el em en t of th ei r cl ai m s— we affi rm th e di st ric t co ur t’s jud gm en t.

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