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 D A N I E L D R O B N I C K I , by a nd thr ough h is m o th e rE v e ly n D r o b n ic k i, P la in tif

f - A p p e lla n t, v. POW AY UN I FI ED SC HO OL DI ST RI CT , e t a l. , D efen d an t s - A p p el l ees. N o. 08- 56129 D . C . N o . 3 : 0 6 - c v - 0 1 5 6 3 - D MS ( RBB) 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 f o rth e S o u th e rn D is tr ic t o f C a lif o rn ia D a naM . S abr a w , D i s tr i c tJ udge , P r e s i di ng A r gue d a nd S ubm i tt e d N ove m be r4, 2009

P a s a d e n a , C a lif

o rn ia B efo re: S C H R O E D E R , B E R Z O N an d IK U T A , C i rcu i tJu d g es. D ur i ng the 2005- 06 s c hool y e a r , D a ni e l D r obni c ki w a s ahi gh s c hool soph om ore i n the P ow ayU ni fi ed S choo l D i stri ct(“ P ow ay ”) el i gi bl e f or spec i al e d u c a tio n a n d r e la te d s e rv ic e s . See Indi vi du al s w i th D i sabi l i t i es E du ca t i on A ct 

# FI LED NO V 17 2009 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS-2-

( “ I D E A ” ) , 20 U . S . C . § 1400 e t s e q. D a ni e l ’ s m othe r , E ve l y n D r obni c ki , br ought sui tun der the ID E A on behal f of D ani el , al l egi ng , am on g o ther thi ng s, thatP ow ay de ni e d D a ni e l af

r e e appr opr i a t e publ i c e duc a t i on ( “ F A P E ” ) f orthe 2005- 06 s c hool ye arbecause i tdi d n otsc hedu l e an i nd i vi du al i ze d edu ca t i on prog ra m (“ IE P ”) m ee t i ng w i th h erand h erhu sband ata “ m utual l y a gree d o n t i m e and pl ac e, ” a s r e q u i r e d b y 3 4 C. F. R. § 3 0 0 . 3 2 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) . W e h o l d th a tPo w a y d e n i e d D a n i e l aFA PE f o rth e 2 0 0 5 - 0 6 s c h o o l y e a rb y s e r io u s lyin f r in g in g h is p a r e n ts ’ r ig h t to p a rtic ip a te i n the form ul at i on of hi s I E P , and so revers e.

“ W e r evi ew de no vo the qu es t i on w hether asc ho ol di stri ct ’ s propo se d i nd i vi du al i ze d edu ca t i on prog ra m prov i ded a F A P E . ” N . B . v. H el l g a te E lem en ta ry Sc h . D is t. , 5 4 1 F .3 d 1 2 0 2 , 1 2 0 7 (9 th C ir. 2 0 0 8 ). “W e r ev iew th e d istrict co u rt’s f i ndi ngs of

f a c tf orc l e a re rr or , e ve n w he n the di s tr i c tc ourtba s e d thos e f i ndi ngs on a n a d m in is tr a tiv e r e c o r d .” J G v . D o u g la s C o u n tySc h . D is t. , 552 F . 3d 786, 793 (9th C i r. 20 08 ). “ Q uest i on s of l aw and m i xed q uest i on s of f ac tand l aw ar e re vi ew ed de no vo , un l es s the m i xed q uest i on i s pri m ar i l y f ac tual . ” N. B. , 541 F . 3d a t1207. 1. T o d et erm i ne w hether achi l d w i th a di sabi l i ty r ec ei ves aF A P E , a c ou rt e n g a g e s in atw o s te p in q u iry : “F ir s t, th e c o u rt m u s t e x a m in e ‘w h e th e rth e S ta te c om pl i e d w i th the pr oc e dur e s s e tf orth i n the [ I D E A ] a nd, s e c ond, w he the rthe-3-

[ I E P ] d e v e lo p e d th r o u g h th e [ I D E A ’s ] p r o c e d u r e s w a s r e a s o n ab lyc a lc u la te d to enabl e the chi l d t o rec ei ve educat i on al benefi t s. ’ ” N. B. , 541 F . 3d a t1207 ( quot i ng A m a n da J

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

. v . C la rk C o u n tySc h . D is t. , 26 7 F . 3d 87 7, 89 0 (9th C i r. 20 01 ) ( i nt ernal qu ot at i on m arks and ci t at i on om i tt ed)) . “ H ow ever , the courtneed no tre ac h the qu es t i on of subst ant i ve com pl i ance i f the courtfi nd s ‘ procedural i na de qua c i e s tha tr e s ul ti n the l os s of e duc a t i ona l opportuni ty , ors e r i ous l y i nf r i nge the parent s’ op po rtun i ty t o p art i ci pat e i n the IE P form ul at i on proces s, or that caused a depri vat i on of educat i on benefi t s. ’ ” I d. ( quot i ng A m an da J. , 26 7 F . 3d at 8 9 2 ) ; s e e a ls o L .M. v . Ca p is tr a n o U

n ifie d Sc h . D is t. , 55 6 F . 3d 90 0, 91 0 (9th C i r. 20 09 ). 2 . S c h o o l d is tr ic ts h a v e a n a f f irm a tiv e d u tyto s c h e d u le a n I E P m e e tin g w ith the pa r e nt s of

ac hi l d w i th adi s abi l i ty a ta“ m utua l l y a gr e e d on t i m e a nd pl a c e . ” 34 C .F .R . § 3 0 0 .3 2 2 (a )( 2 ). “[B ]efo re itca n h o ldan IE P m ee ti n g w ith o u t a ch il d ’s p a r e n ts , th e s c h o o l d is tr ic t m u s t d o c u m e n t p h o n e c a lls , c o rr e s p o n d e n c e , a n d v is its t o the pa r e nt s de m ons tr a t i ng a tt e m pt s t o r e a c h am utua l l y a gr e e d upon pl a c e a nd t i m e f or the m ee t i ng . ” Shapi r o ex r e l. Shapi r o v . P ar adis e V al le yU ni f i e d Sc h. D is t. , 317 F . 3d 1072, 1078 ( 9th C i r . 2003) ( c i t i ng 34 C . F . R . §§ 300. 322( d) ( 1) - ( 3) ( f o rm e r ly3 4 C .F .R . § § 3 0 0 .3 4 5 ( d ) ( 1 ) - ( 3 ) ) , s upe rs e de d bys tatute on othe rgr ounds ,-4-

I ndi vi dua l s w i th D i s abi l i t i e s E duc a t i on A c tA m e ndm e nt s of 1997, P ub. L . N o. 105- 17, 111 S t a t . 37. W i tho utfi rs ti nq ui ri ng abou tD ani el ’ s par ent s’ avai l abi l i ty, P ow ayno t i fi ed the m tha ti tha d s c he dul e d a n I E P m e e t i ng f orO c t obe r10. T he D r obni c ki s di d not a gr e e t o tha tda t e ; the y i nf orm e d P ow a y tha tthe y w e r e nots ur e the y c oul d a tt e nd a me e t i n g o n Oc t o b e r1 0 a n d d i d n o tr e tu rn , a s i n d i c a t e d , as i g n e d c o p y o f th e I EP m ee t i ng no t i ce . P ow aythere af t erm ade no att em pt s – no further c orre spon dence, n o p h o n e c a l l s , n o v i s i t s w i th th e p a r e n t s –t o r e a c h amu tu a l l y a g r e e d u p o n t i me f orthe m e e t i ng. W he the rthe D r obni c ki s a c tua l l y ha d ac onf l i c ton O c t obe r10 do es no tm att er , as “ [a ] sc ho ol di stri ctcann otabdi ca t e i t s a ff i rm at i ve du t i es un der the ID E A . ” N. B. , 5 4 1 F .3 d a t 1 2 0 9 . S i m i l arl y, th atP o w ay u l t i m at el y o ffered o n O ct o b er 1 0 t o al l o w M rs. D robn i cki t o p art i ci pat e i n the IE P m ee t i ng by spea kerpho ne, i s of no con se qu ence , as th e u se o f s u ch m eth o d s to en su re p ar en t p ar ti cip atio n is av ailab le o n ly “[i] f n e ith e rp a r e n t c a n a tte n d a n I E P [ ] m e e tin g . . . .” 3 4 C .F .R . § 3 0 0 .3 2 2 ( c ) . A s c h o o l d i s tr i c tmu s ti n c l u d e th e p a r e n t s o f ac h i l d wi th ad i s ab i l i ty i n a n I EP m ee t i ng “ un l es s they a ff i rm at i vel y r ef

use[ ] t o att end. ” Sh a

p i ro , 3 1 7 F .3 d a t 1 0 7 8 . D a n ie l’s p a r e n ts d id n o t a f f irm a tiv e lyr e f

u s e to a tte n d th e O c to b e r1 0 I E P m e e tin g . W h e n P o w a y c a lle d o n O c to b e r1 0 to a s kw h e th e rth e D r o b n ic k is w e r e g o in g to-5-

atten d th e I E P m ee ti n g , M rs . D ro b n ick i ask ed to re sc h ed u le it . T h e d istrict co u rt’s fi n d i n g t o th e co n trary w as cl earl y erro n eo u s. T he A dm i ni stra t i ve L aw Judg e’ s f i nd i ng thatD ani el ’ s par ent s had a hi st ory o f n o t a tte n d in g I E P m e e tin g s w a s a ls o c le a r lye rr o n e o u s . T he re cord es t abl i shes th a t D a n ie l’s p a r e n ts f

a ile d to a tte n d o n e o f

s ix I E P m e e t i ngs f

orthe 2004- 05 s c hool y e a r . I n a ddi t i on, M r s . D r obni c ki a tt e nde d the f i r s tI E P m e e t i ng r e ga r di ng D a ni e l ’ s I E P f

orthe 2005- 06 s c hool y e a r , di d nots t a t e tha ts he w oul d nota tt e nd a n y s u b s e q u e n t I E P m e e tin g s , a n d a s k e d to r e s c h e d u le th e O c to b e r1 0 I E P m e e tin g . S he a l s o a tt e nde d the D e c e m be rm e e t i ng. I n a ny e ve nt , “ notw i ths t a ndi ng the p a r e n ts ’ c o n d u c t, [ P o w a y ] w a s d u ty - b o u n d ” to c o m p lyw ith th e I D E A . JG , 552 F . 3d a t794. B y p ro ceed i n g w i th th e O ct o b er 1 0 IE P m eet i n g w i th o u tD an i el ’ s p aren t s, P o way v i o l a t e d th e I DE A. 3 . “ [A ] p ro ced u ral v i o l at i o n [o f th e ID E A ] m ay b e h arm l ess, an d w e m u st consi der w hether the procedural error e i ther r es ul t ed i n a l oss of e du ca t i on al opportuni ty ors i gni f

i c a nt l y r e s tr i c t e d pa r e nt a l pa rt i c i pa t i on [ i n the I E P f orm ul a t i on proces s] . ” L . M. , 556 F . 3d a t910. “ [ T ] hos e pr oc e dur e s w hi c h pr ovi de f or m eani ng ful pare ntpart i ci pat i on ar e part i cul ar l y i m po rt ant . ” A m an da J. , 267 F . 3d a t891.- 6-

P ow a y a r gue s tha tthe D r obni c ki s ’ r i ghtt o pa rt i c i pa t e i n the f orm ul a t i on of Da n i e l ’ s I EP wa s n o ts i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s tr i c t e d b e c au s e M r s . Dr o b n i c k i a tt e n d e d I EP m ee ti n g s in S ep tem b eran d D ec em b er . It i s u n d isp u ted , h o w ev er , th at D an iel’ s IE P w as form ul at ed atthe O ct ob er10 m ee t i ng , no tthe S ept em ber or D ec em ber m ee t i ng s. M oreover, “ [a ] ft er -the-f ac tpare nt al i nv ol vem enti s notenou gh . ” Sh a p i ro , 3 1 7 F . 3 d at1 0 7 8 . T h u s, “ [P o w ay’ s] fai l u re t o i n cl u d e th e p erso n s m o st k n o w le d g e ab le ab o u t [ D a n ie l’s ] e d u c a tio n a l le v e ls a n dn e e d s – n a m e ly , . . . [ D a ni e l ’ s ] pa r e nt s –a tthe [ O c t obe r10] I E P m e e t i ng . . . r e s ul t e d i n l os te duc a t i on op po rtun i ty f

or [D ani el ] . ” I

d. at10 79 . A cc ordi ng l y, D ani el di d n otre ce i ve a F A P E f orthe 2005- 06 s c hool y e a r , a nd the C ourtthe r e f or e ne e d notr e a c h the q u e s tio n w h e th e rD a n ie l’s I E P s u b s ta n tiv e lyc o m p lie d w ith th e I D E A . Se e N. B. , 541 F . 3d a t1207. W e r e v e r s e th e d is tr ic t c o u rt’s ju d g m e n t in f a v o ro f P o w a y a n d r e m a n d to the di s tr i c tc ourtt o e nt e rj udgm e nti n f a vorof D a ni e l a nd t o de t e rm i ne the approp ri at e r el i ef

t o b e aw ar ded t o h i m un der 20 U . S . C . §§ 14 12 (a )( 10 )( C ), 1 4 1 5 ( i) ( 2 ) ( C ) ( iii) , a n d , a s th e p r e v a ilin g p a rty , u n d e r2 0 U .S .C . § 1 4 1 5 ( i) ( 3 ) . See Fo r e s t Gr o v e Sc h o o l

Dis t. v . T. A. , 5 2 3 F .3 d 1 0 7 8 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 8 ) , af f’d by 1 2 9 S. C t. 2 4 8 4 ( 2 0 0 9 ) ; Sh a

p ir o ex r e l. Sh a

p ir o v . P a r a d is e V

a lle yU n ifie d Sc h . D is t. , 374 F . 3d 85 7 (9th C i r. 20 04 ).- 7-

RE V E RS E D a n d RE MAND E D.