Source: http://www.legalaidofnebraska.org/special-education-2/video-summary-code-of-federal-regulations-for-due-process/
Timestamp: 2017-12-12 21:41:30
Document Index: 118866989

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300']

Video Summary: Code of Federal Regulations for Due Process - Legal Aid of Nebraska
This video reviews the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under Title 34 of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) regarding Due Process Hearings. As with all of our sections covering CFR, we will take excepts of any relevant sections from the IDEA for you to reference, and we will also summarize these sections in a more readable fashion. [Note the symbol “§” stands for section, while “§§” stands for sections.]
(a)General.(1) A parent or a public agency may file a due process complaint on any of the matters described in § 300.503(a)(1) and (2) (relating to the identification, evaluation or educational placement of a child with a disability, or the provision of FAPE to the child).
(2) The due process complaint must allege a violation that occurred not more than two years before the date the parent or public agency knew or should have known about the alleged action that forms the basis of the due process complaint, or, if the State has an explicit time limitation for filing a due process complaint under this part, in the time allowed by that State law, except that the exceptions to the timeline described in § 300.511(f) apply to the timeline in this section.
Only you (the parent or guardian of the child in question) or your child’s school district may file for a due process hearing. A due process hearing must cover some violation regarding the identification, evaluation, placement of your child within the special education program, or the provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to your child. A hearing must be filed within two years of the violation, or within two years of the school knowing there was a violation. Regardless of who files for a due process hearing, the school district must provide you with a list of free or low-cost legal services. You can also receive this list by asking the school district for it. You can also contact Legal Aid of Nebraska for this list.
(a)General. (1) The public agency must have procedures that require either party, or the attorney representing a party, to provide to the other party a due process complaint (which must remain confidential).
(b)Content of complaint.The due process complaint required in paragraph (a)(1) of this section must include—
When you or the school file a due process complaint, you must also provide the other party and the State Education Agency (SEA) with a copy of the complaint. A complaint must include the name, address, school and the child, relevant contact information (in cases where a child is homeless), what the problem or violation was, and a solution to that problem or violation.
(c)Notice required before a hearing on a due process complaint. A party may not have a hearing on a due process complaint until the party, or the attorney representing the party, files a due process complaint that meets the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.
(d)Sufficiency of complaint.(1) The due process complaint required by this section must be deemed sufficient unless the party receiving the due process complaint notifies the hearing officer and the other party in writing, within 15 days of receipt of the due process complaint, that the receiving party believes the due process complaint does not meet the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section.
(i) The other party consents in writing to the amendment and is given the opportunity to resolve the due process complaint through a meeting held pursuant to § 300.510; or
(4) If a party files an amended due process complaint, the timelines for the resolution meeting in § 300.510(a) and the time period to resolve in § 300.510(b) begin again with the filing of the amended due process complaint.
Before a due process hearing can begin, both parties must have a copy of the complaint. The receiving party (in most cases, the school district) has fifteen days to determine whether the complaint they received has enough information for them to respond. The hearing officer in charge of your complaint has five days to make that determination (if requested), and must let both parties know that determination in writing. If the receiving party or hearing officer believe the complaint does not have enough information, you may have to amend the complaint.
(e)LEA response to a due process complaint.(1) If the LEA has not sent a prior written notice under § 300.503 to the parent regarding the subject matter contained in the parent’s due process complaint, the LEA must, within 10 days of receiving the due process complaint, send to the parent a response that includes—
If the school district feels the complaint is adequate, then they have ten days from the date they received the complaint to send you a response listing why they did or did not implement the complaint’s solution, any other options the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team considered and why those were dismissed, how they evaluated each option, and any other factors relevant to their decision.
(a)Resolution meeting.(1) Within 15 days of receiving notice of the parent’s due process complaint, and prior to the initiation of a due process hearing under § 300.511, the LEA must convene a meeting with the parent and the relevant member or members of the IEP Team who have specific knowledge of the facts identified in the due process complaint that—
(ii) The parent and the LEA agree to use the mediation process described in § 300.506.
The school district must attempt to have a meeting to see if they can’t resolve the problem before the hearing. This meeting includes a representative from the school district who can make decisions for the school. The school cannot have an attorney at the meeting unless you have one as well. At this meeting, you should discuss your complaint with the school, and the school should work to see if the problem can be resolved without a hearing.
(b)Resolution period.(1) If the LEA has not resolved the due process complaint to the satisfaction of the parent within 30 days of the receipt of the due process complaint, the due process hearing may occur.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the timeline for issuing a final decision under § 300.515 begins at the expiration of this 30-day period.
(4) If the LEA is unable to obtain the participation of the parent in the resolution meeting after reasonable efforts have been made (and documented using the procedures in § 300.322(d)), the LEA may, at the conclusion of the 30-day period, request that a hearing officer dismiss the parent’s due process complaint.
If you and the school cannot come to an agreement over the violation within 30 days of you filing the complaint, then the hearing proceeds as planned. If the school contacts you, but you do not respond or attend any resolution meeting, then the hearing officer can dismiss your complaint entirely, so it’s important that you take part in a resolution meeting, even if you don’t think you and the school can meet eye-to-eye on the matter. If the school fails to have the meeting, then the due process hearing again proceeds as planned.
(c)Adjustments to 30-day resolution period.The 45-day timeline for the due process hearing in § 300.515(a) starts the day after one of the following events:
(d)Written settlement agreement.If a resolution to the dispute is reached at the meeting described in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, the parties must execute a legally binding agreement that is—
(2) Enforceable in any State court of competent jurisdiction or in a district court of the United States, or, by the SEA, if the State has other mechanisms or procedures that permit parties to seek enforcement of resolution agreements, pursuant to § 300.537.
The 45-day timeframe of the due-process hearing starts after you and school district agree that you cannot resolve the issue after the resolution meeting, when both of you agree to cancel the resolution meeting, or you and the school agree that further mediation is necessary, and one of the parties involved drops out of this extended mediation.
If you and the school do come to an agreement, then both parties must write up a legally-binding agreement, signed by both parties, enforceable by State courts around the United States or the SEA. You have three days after signing to change your mind about agreeing to the agreement.
(a)General.Whenever a due process complaint is received under § 300.507 or § 300.532, the parents or the LEA involved in the dispute must have an opportunity for an impartial due process hearing, consistent with the procedures in §§ 300.507, 300.508, and 300.510.
(b)Agency responsible for conducting the due process hearing.The hearing described in paragraph (a) of this section must be conducted by the SEA or the public agency directly responsible for the education of the child, as determined under State statute, State regulation, or a written policy of the SEA.
(c)Impartial hearing officer.(1) At a minimum, a hearing officer—
This section covers the State standards that ensure impartiality during the due process hearing. The SEA must handle the hearing, but the hearing officer must not be an employee of the SEA, the school district, or be in any way involved in your child’s education, and they cannot have a conflict of interest. They must have knowledge of the IDEA and the hearing process, and be able to make decisions in writing.
(d)Subject matter of due process hearings.The party requesting the due process hearing may not raise issues at the due process hearing that were not raised in the due process complaint filed under § 300.508(b), unless the other party agrees otherwise.
(f)Exceptions to the timeline.The timeline described in paragraph (e) of this section does not apply to a parent if the parent was prevented from filing a due process complaint due to—
If an issue or violation was not brought up in the written complaint, it cannot be brought up during the hearing. Again, any issue brought up in the complaint must have occurred within the last two years, unless the school district misrepresented some information that lead you to believe the problem was taken care of, or they withheld information from you to the same effect.
(a)General.Any party to a hearing conducted pursuant to §§ 300.507 through 300.513 or §§ 300.530 through 300.534, or an appeal conducted pursuant to § 300.514, has the right to—
(1) Be accompanied and advised by counsel and by individuals with special knowledge or training with respect to the problems of children with disabilities;
(b)Additional disclosure of information.(1) At least five business days prior to a hearing conducted pursuant to § 300.511(a), each party must disclose to all other parties all evaluations completed by that date and recommendations based on the offering party’s evaluations that the party intends to use at the hearing.
At the hearing, you can be advised by a counsel of experts, hire an attorney/advocate, or represent yourself (we recommend that you have an attorney present). You can also present evidence, cross-examine and compel witnesses (i.e., have subpoenas to summon them to court and question them), prevent untimely evidence from showing up in court (evidence is untimely if it was not presented to both parties at least five days before the trial), and obtain records of events to use as evidence.
(c)Parental rights at hearings.Parents involved in hearings must be given the right to—
As a parent or guardian, you have the right to bring your child (the one whose education is in question) to the hearing, have the hearing be open to the public, and receive a record of the hearing, as well as the findings and facts of that hearing at no cost.
(a)Decision of hearing officer on the provision of FAPE.(1) Subject to paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a hearing officer’s determination of whether a child received FAPE must be based on substantive grounds.
(3) Nothing in paragraph (a) of this section shall be construed to preclude a hearing officer from ordering an LEA to comply with procedural requirements under §§ 300.500 through 300.536.
This section outlines what evidence a hearing officer uses to make their decisions. If you are arguing a procedural violation of FAPE, then the officer can find that your child did not in fact receive FAPE if the violation in question affected your child’s FAPE, their education in general, or your ability to be a part of the implementation of your child’s FAPE.
(a)Finality of hearing decision.A decision made in a hearing conducted pursuant to §§ 300.507 through 300.513 or §§ 300.530 through 300.534 is final, except that any party involved in the hearing may appeal the decision under the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section and § 300.516.
(b)Appeal of decisions; impartial review.(1) If the hearing required by § 300.511 is conducted by a public agency other than the SEA, any party aggrieved by the findings and decision in the hearing may appeal to the SEA.
(iii) Seek additional evidence if necessary. If a hearing is held to receive additional evidence, the rights in § 300.512 apply;
(c)Findings and decision to advisory panel and general public.The SEA, after deleting any personally identifiable information, must—
(1) Transmit the findings and decisions referred to in paragraph (b)(2)(vi) of this section to the State advisory panel established under § 300.167; and
(d)Finality of review decision.The decision made by the reviewing official is final unless a party brings a civil action under § 300.516.
A hearing officer’s decision is final, but you can appeal that decision in state public agency, and that appeal be conducted under an impartial review, which again looks at the case for any significant details that may alter the ruling. This review decision is again final, but can be appealed in federal court.
(a) The public agency must ensure that not later than 45 days after the expiration of the 30 day period under § 300.510(b), or the adjusted time periods described in § 300.510(c)—
The hearing officer has 45 days after the 30-day period (or the adjusted period, in the case of an extension) for the hearing to make their decision, after which a copy of that decision is mailed to both parties. If you ask for a review, then the SEA has 30 days to conduct that review and give their final decision, though extensions can be granted under certain circumstances.
(a)General.Any party aggrieved by the findings and decision made under §§ 300.507 through 300.513 or §§ 300.530 through 300.534 who does not have the right to an appeal under § 300.514(b), and any party aggrieved by the findings and decision under § 300.514(b), has the right to bring a civil action with respect to the due process complaint notice requesting a due process hearing under § 300.507 or §§ 300.530 through 300.532. The action may be brought in any State court of competent jurisdiction or in a district court of the United States without regard to the amount in controversy.
(b)Time limitation.The party bringing the action shall have 90 days from the date of the decision of the hearing officer or, if applicable, the decision of the State review official, to file a civil action, or, if the State has an explicit time limitation for bringing civil actions under Part B of the Act, in the time allowed by that State law.
If you disagree with the decision made by the court but cannot appeal, you can file a civil action suit in a State or district (i.e. federal) court. You have 90 days from the decision of the initial or review decision to file your appeal.
(a)In general.(1) In any action or proceeding brought under section 615 of the Act, the court, in its discretion, may award reasonable attorneys’ fees as part of the costs to—
You may be entitled to attorneys’ fees (payment for the use of attorneys) if you are the prevailing party. This process can be fairly complicated, so be sure to ask your attorney for more information on this topic.
(a) Except as provided in § 300.533, during the pendency of any administrative or judicial proceeding regarding a due process complaint notice requesting a due process hearing under § 300.507, unless the State or local agency and the parents of the child agree otherwise, the child involved in the complaint must remain in his or her current educational placement.
(c) If the complaint involves an application for initial services under this part from a child who is transitioning from Part C of the Act to Part B and is no longer eligible for Part C services because the child has turned three, the public agency is not required to provide the Part C services that the child had been receiving. If the child is found eligible for special education and related services under Part B and the parent consents to the initial provision of special education and related services under § 300.300(b), then the public agency must provide those special education and related services that are not in dispute between the parent and the public agency.
What happens to your child during these kinds of proceedings? Generally, they should be in their regular educational placement, unless both parties agree otherwise, or there’s a safety issue in the current placement. Otherwise, they should be given the same tools and services they would had the hearings not happened.