Opinion ID: 2971669
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: standard of review

Text: In an IDEA action, the district court “(i) shall receive the records of the administrative proceedings; (ii) shall hear additional evidence at the request of a party; and (iii) basing its decision on the preponderance of the evidence, shall grant such relief as the court determines is appropriate.” 20 U.S.C. § 1415(i)(2)(B). The Supreme Court has construed this provision to mean that an initial reviewing court should make an independent decision based on the preponderance of the evidence but also should give “due weight” to the determinations made during the state administrative process. Bd. of Educ. of the Hendrick Hudson Cent. Sch. Dist. v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176, 206 (1982). Although reviewing courts must not “simply adopt the state administrative findings without an independent re-examination of the evidence,” Doe ex rel. Doe v. No. 03-5396 Deal, et al. v. Hamilton County Board of Education Page 6 Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, 133 F.3d 384, 387 (6th Cir. 1998), neither may they “substitute their own notions of sound educational policy for those of the school authorities which they review,” Thomas v. Cincinnati Board of Education, 918 F.2d 618, 624 (6th Cir. 1990) (quoting Rowley, 458 U.S. at 206). The amount of weight due to administrative findings depends on whether the finding is based on educational expertise. McLaughlin v. Holt Pub. Sch. Bd. of Educ., 320 F.3d 663, 669 (6th Cir. 2003). “Less weight is due to an agency’s determinations on matters for which educational expertise is not relevant because a federal court is just as well suited to evaluate the situation.” Id. “More weight, however, is due to an agency’s determinations on matters for which educational expertise is relevant.” Id. According to this “modified de novo” standard of review, “a district court is required to make findings of fact based on a preponderance of the evidence contained in the complete record, while giving some deference to the fact findings of the administrative proceedings.” Knable ex rel. Knable v. Bexley City Sch. Dist., 238 F.3d 755, 764 (6th Cir. 2001). This Court, in turn, applies a clearly erroneous standard of review to the district court’s findings of fact and a de novo standard of review to its conclusions of law. Id. Mixed questions of law and fact, including the question of whether a child was denied a FAPE, are reviewed de novo. Id. at 766 (citing Tucker v. Calloway County Bd. of Educ., 136 F.3d 495, 503 (6th Cir. 1998), and W.G. v. Bd. of Trustees of Target Range Sch. Dist. No. 23, 960 F.2d 1479, 1484 (9th Cir. 1992)). This Court also must accord due deference to the state administrative hearing officer’s decision. McLaughlin, 320 F.3d at 669. A district court’s decision regarding additional evidence in an IDEA case will be reviewed for abuse of discretion. Knable, 238 F.3d at 772 (citing Metro. Gov’t v. Cook, 915 F.2d 232, 234 (6th Cir. 1990)). A district court’s refusal to take judicial notice likewise will be reviewed for abuse of discretion. Toth v. Grand Trunk R.R., 306 F.3d 335, 349 (6th Cir. 2002). An award of costs to a prevailing party also is considered under an abuse of discretion standard. Jefferson v. Jefferson County Pub. Sch. Sys., 360 F.3d 583, 591 (6th Cir. 2004).