Source: https://www.specialedlaw.com/database/student-v-wachusett-regional-school-district-bsea-01-2301/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 14:14:03+00:00

Document:
A hearing was held on May 30, May 31, June 21, June 26, July 9, 20011 , Catuogno Court Reporting in Worcester, Massachusetts, before Catherine M. Putney-Yaceshyn, Hearing Officer.
The Parents requested a hearing on February 21, 2001. An automatic hearing date was scheduled for March 13, 2001. On February 26, 2001, the School District requested a postponement which the BSEA granted and the matter was scheduled for a Pre-Hearing Conference on April 3, 2001. There was a Pre-Hearing Conference on April 3, 2001 at Catuogno Court Reporting in Worcester, Massachusetts during which a Hearing was scheduled for May 30, May 31, and June 19, 2001. The Parents filed a Motion to Join the Department of Education on April 25, 2001 and the Department of Education filed an opposition to said Motion on April 27, 2001. The Parties and the Department of Education argued the Motion during a conference call on May 24, 2001. The Parents’ Motion to Join was Denied on May 25, 2001. On June 4, the BSEA issued an Order scheduling additional hearing dates of July 9 and July 12. The Parties submitted written closing arguments on August 13, 2001 and the record closed. On August 16, 2001, the Parents filed a Request for an Expedited Hearing regarding placement for 2001-2002. On August 17, the School filed its Opposition to the Parents Request for an Expedited Hearing. The Director of the BSEA sent a letter to the parties on August 20, 2001, indicating that the request for an expedited hearing would be handled as a reopening of the existing case number, rather than as a new case. The BSEA issued an order on August 24, 2001, scheduling the matter for a Hearing on September 11, 2001.
Philip Campbell Director of Student/Information Services/Interim Administrator of Special Education, W.R.S.D.
Dr. Glen Williams Supervisor of Special Education, W.R.S.D.
William Martin School Psychologist, W.R.S.D.
The official record of this hearing consists of documents submitted by the Parents, marked 1 through 13 and individually numbered pages 1 through 773, documents submitted by the School, marked 1-94 and approximately hours of recorded oral testimony. The School District made an oral closing argument and the Parent submitted a written closing argument on June 1, 2001 at which time the record closed.
1. Whether the educational program proposed by the Wachusett Regional School District for the 1999-2000 school year was appropriate to maximize the Student’s educational development in the least restrictive environment.
2. If not, did the Parents’ placement of the Student at the Eagle Hill School provide the Student with an appropriate education?
3. Whether the educational program proposed by the Wachusett Regional School District for the 2000-2001school year was appropriate to maximize the Student’s educational development in the least restrictive environment.
4. If not, did the Parents’ placement of the Student at the Eagle Hill School provide the Student with an appropriate educational program?
The IEP offered/services provided to the Student during the 1999-2000 school year were not appropriate to meet the Student’s needs. The Eagle Hill School was an appropriate placement for the Student during the 1999-2000 school year. The IEP proposed by the Wachusett Regional School District was not appropriate to meet the Student’s needs. The Eagle Hill School was an appropriate placement for the Student for the 2000-2001 school year. The Parents are entitled to reimbursement for the cost of Student’s attendance at the Eagle Hill School from November 1999-June 2001.
The BSEA does not have jurisdiction over the question of whether the parents are entitled to retroactive reimbursement for the period from November 1999-June 2000 because the Parents never rejected the IEP for the 1999-2000 school year. The Parents rejected an IEP which was drafted pursuant to a September 2000 meeting of the Team. Therefore, the Parents can not make a claim for retroactive reimbursement for the time period during which the IEP had not been rejected.
Wachusett’s proposed IEP for the 2000-2001 school year was appropriate to address the Student’s needs in the least restrictive environment. It was only after Wachusett had received the Children’s Hospital evaluations that they developed a far more restrictive IEP than prior IEPs. Even if the 2000-2001 IEP was not appropriate, the Parents cannot be reimbursed for their unilateral placement of the Student at Eagle Hill because it was not an appropriate placement for the Student.
93. Dr. Engelman concluded that the Student’s needs could best be met at the Eagle Hill School. She stated that Student’s profile of ADHD, OCD/mood disorder/bipolar, written language output difficulties, and strong intellectual ability could best be served in a small classroom that can deal with his emotional and academic issues. She testified that Eagle Hill dealt with Student’s emotional needs through counseling, working on social and pragmatic skills though direct teaching and helping him to become more aware of how his behavior affects others. She found that Eagle Hill effectively dealt with his written language output problems by teaching the Student how to outline and organize his work. She found that the Student could be successfully educated with peers who were not his chronological peers as long as their disabilities were similar and they were at the same cognitive and academic level.
Student is an individual with a disability, falling within the purview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)12 and the state special education statute.13 As such, he is entitled to a free, appropriate public education which is reasonably calculated to assure his maximum possible educational development in the least restrictive environment consistent with that goal.14 Neither his status nor his entitlement is in dispute.
The principal issue presented is whether the proposed IEPs for the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 school years were reasonably calculated to maximize the Student’s potential in the least restrictive environment and if not, whether the Parents are entitled to reimbursement for their unilateral placement of the Student at the Eagle Hill School.
Although the Parents accepted the IEP proposed for the Student’s 1999-2000 school year, I find that the inadequacy of that IEP became apparent very early in his seventh grade year. I found the Parents to be very credible historians of their son’s difficulties and their own efforts to obtain assistance for him. I find compelling evidence that Wachusett failed to provide the Student with an appropriate IEP to maximize his potential in the least restrictive environment.
Having found that the IEP and placement proposed by Wachusett were inappropriate, I turn to the second prong of the Burlington analysis, the appropriateness of the Eagle Hill School placement. The Supreme Court determined that “neither the IDEA nor its legislative history imposes a ‘requirement that the private school be approved by the state in parent placement reimbursement cases.’” Florence County Sch. Dist. Four v. Carter , 510 U.S. 7, at 11 (1993) Therefore, Eagle Hill’s unapproved status shall not direct my decision regarding appropriateness. In determining whether the parental placement was appropriate, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts applied the IDEA’s appropriateness standard. Doe v. West Boylston School Committee , 4 MSER 149, 161 (D. Mass. September 14, 1998). The Court found that it must determine “whether the school provided personalized instruction with sufficient support services to permit [the Student] to benefit educationally and services that were reasonably calculated to enable [the Student] to achieve passing marks and advance from grade to grade.” Id .
The evidence shows that the Student was able to achieve passing marks and advance from grade to grade while a seventh grader at Eagle Hill. (See paragraph 64 above.) In addition to the progress evidenced by the Student’s grades and promotion to the next grade, the Parents and Ms. Farley testified regarding the Student’s progress. I found both Parents and Ms. Farley credible in their testimony that the Student was happier and was able to form friendships while at Eagle Hill.
Wachusett’s arguments regarding the IEP process used by Eagle Hill and the format of the IEPs are not sufficient basis for finding the Eagle Hill program inappropriate. As previously stated, the Parents are required to choose a placement which provides personalized instruction and allows the Student to benefit educationally, not to maximize the Student’s potential. While it is true the teachers at Eagle Hill were not all certified, IEPs were not drafted in the same manner prescribed by the state of Massachusetts and the students in the Student’s classes were not all his exact peers, the Supreme Court found that reimbursement is not barred by a private school’s failure to meet state education standards. The Court declined to find fault in a private school placement where all teachers were not certified and IEPs were not developed for students. Florence County Sch. Dist. Four v. Carter , 510 U.S. 7, 14 (1993). Similarly, I do not find that Eagle Hill’s program was inappropriate under the Florence County/West Boylston standard.
The School’s argument that the Parents are not entitled to reimbursement despite Wachusett’s failure to provide the Student with an IEP which was reasonably calculated to maximize his potential in the least restrictive environment is not persuasive. Wachusett argues that the Parents never rejected the 1999-2000 IEP and they are therefore barred from seeking reimbursement. Its argument is unpersuasive for several reasons.
(bb) 10 business days (including any holidays that occur on a business day) prior to the removal of the child from the public school, the parents did not give written notice to the public agency of the information described in division (aa).
“Once it is determined that a public placement violated the IDEA, as is the case in the instant action, the court is authorized to ‘grant such relief as [it] determines is appropriate. 20 U.S.C. § 1415(I)(2)(B)(iii).” Doe v. West Boylston School Committee , 4 MSER 149, 161 (D. Mass. September 14, 1998). For the aforementioned reasons, I have determined that Wachusett violated the IDEA with respect to the Student’s IEPs and that reimbursement is the appropriate remedy.
As a final note, the conduct of the hearing participants throughout the hearing bears mention. All of the participants treated one another with the utmost respect and cordiality throughout the difficult proceedings. Despite their differences of opinion, they were always willing to attempt to resolve their differences and were successful in reaching an agreement regarding Student’s 2001-2002 placement on their own. This approach to the Hearing process is likely to result in their continued ability to resolve any future differences in a like manner.
The Parents shall be reimbursed for the tuition they paid for the day program at the Eagle Hill School from November 29, 1999 through the end of the 1999-2000 school year. The Parents shall also be reimbursed for the Student’s transportation in accordance with the law.
The Parents shall be reimbursed for the tuition they paid for the day program at the Eagle Hill School during the 2000-2001 school year. They shall also be reimbursed for the Student’s transportation in accordance with the law.
Payment shall be made to the Parents immediately.
Ms. Silver testified via telephone as agreed to by the parties.
The Student’s rubbing himself had been a significant concern in the beginning of sixth grade. Dr. Auster instructed the Student to wear an athletic supporter to make him more aware of the subconscious action. Teachers were asked to ask him if he had to go to the bathroom or send him to the special education teacher if they observed the behavior. Dr. Martin told the Parents that the Student would be removed from regular education if the behavior did not cease. Dr. Auster had written a letter to the School in September 1998 (P-10, pg. 688) explaining that the Student’s behavior was related to his generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
The Mother testified that she told Mr. Waterhouse about these instances and he said he would look into it.
Angela Blais was the school adjustment counselor.
He testified that his schedule did not allow him to be present in the Student’s classes very often.
On that day Ms. Blais gave the Student a hall pass which he could use any time he wanted to go to see her.
Philip Campbell testified that the program at the Thomas Prince school was a clinically supportive program for adolescents who needed additional supports to succeed in school. The students in the program presented with issues such as depression, poor social skills and difficulty interacting with peers. The Students were of “normal intelligence.” Students in the program had an opportunity to see the school psychologist throughout the day. Mr. Campbell testified that he never told the Parents about this program. Dr. Williams testified that he was not aware of the existence of the program prior to the Hearing in this matter. There is no evidence to suggest that the Parents were ever made aware of the existence of this program at the Thomas Prince School.
Ms. Farley testified that there were reports in the Student’s file which indicated he had a need for handwriting.
Glenn Williams, William Martin, Linda Limoli, Judy Frans, Robin Milaszewski, Ann Scannell, Father, Mother, Gayle Greene, and Lincoln Waterhouse attended the Team meeting.
This class involved the direct teaching of strategies for keeping track of one’s belongings and for getting to class on time. Strategies were discussed and used throughout the day. Student was taught prioritizing and what he should do between to classes and when the best time for doing things was.
David D. v. Dartmouth School Committee , 775 F.2d 411, 423 (1 st Cir. 1985). Although the applicable legal standard changed to FAPE effective January 1, 2002, the “maximum possible educational development” standard was applicable at the time that the IEPs were developed and proposed by Wachusett and therefore is the standard by which the IEP will be judged. Wachusett has not disputed the applicability of this standard.
Wachusetts’ closing argument cites to 20 U.S.C. § 1412(a)(10)(c)(iv)(IV), but the provision referred to is found as cited above.

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