Opinion ID: 176944
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The parents' claims were properly before the district court.

Text: In its cross-appeal, NMPED argues that the district court lacked jurisdiction over the parents' claims because they failed to exhaust their claims against NMPED in the administrative proceedings and because they were not aggrieved by the AAO's decision since the AAO held in their favor on their claims against Tularosa. 20 U.S.C. § 1415(i)(2) (2000) [3] (allowing civil actions for those aggrieved by the IDEA administrative process). NMPED argues that the parents were not aggrieved as there was nothing more they could hope to receive from the administrative process once the AAO ordered Tularosa to comply with a program to provide M.C. a FAPE. See, e.g., Robinson v. Pinderhughes, 810 F.2d 1270, 1275 (4th Cir.1987). This argument misconstrues the thrust of the parents' claims against NMPED. In their Amended Complaint, the parents sought liability against NMPED both because NMPED denied M.C. a FAPE by declining to provide him direct educational services and also because it failed to monitor whether students like M.C. were receiving a FAPE and did not provide training for staff to ensure that autistic students received the appropriate continuum of alternative placements so that these students received a FAPE. Consequently, the parents sought additional liability and relief from NMPED beyond what they sought (and received) in the administrative process against Tularosa. This additional requested relief distinguishes the parents' case from Miller v. Board of Education. In Miller, this circuit declined to allow the parents to present additional evidence they claimed would establish that a local school district was unable to comply with the AAO's order because allowing claims based on a school district's speculative noncompliance with an order would force the courts into questions of educational policy they are ill-equipped to address. See 565 F.3d 1232, 1242 & 1243 n. 6 (10th Cir.2009) (holding that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it declined to allow the plaintiff to present additional evidence supporting a claim that the school district would not comply with an order because of systemic dysfunction). In contrast, in the present case, the parents request a finding of liability as to NMPED's failure to intervene earlier and to provide a FAPE to M.C. while he was being home schooled. And, the parents' theory of liability was not beyond the palestates may be held responsible for failing to provide services to disabled children. See, e.g., St. Tammany Parish Sch. Bd. v. La., 142 F.3d 776, 785 (5th Cir.1998) (holding that, pending merits decision, district court could exercise its discretion to require SEA to pay the cost of child's interim educational placement); Gadsby by Gadsby v. Grasmick, 109 F.3d 940, 953, 955-56 (4th Cir.1997) (holding that, in general, an SEA is ultimately responsible for the provision of a FAPE to its students but remanding to allow the district court to allocate the proper equitable relief between the LEA and SEA); Kruelle v. New Castle County Sch. Dist., 642 F.2d 687, 696-97 (3d Cir.1981) (upholding the district court's determination that the state is generally responsible for ensuring that the child's needs are evaluated and a plan implemented, but not requiring the state to engage in the student's specific educational program). By its failure to address their claims, the parents could be considered aggrieved by the administrative process as implemented by the DPHO and AAO. Of course, the AAO never addressed the parents' claims against NMPED because NMPED successfully avoided the administrative process despite the parents' attempts to add it as a party. Exhaustion of administrative remedies as a predicate for a federal-court action is not required if exhaustion would be futile or fail to provide adequate relief. See Romer, 992 F.2d at 1044; cf. Honig v. Doe, 484 U.S. 305, 326-27, 108 S.Ct. 592, 98 L.Ed.2d 686 (1988) (discussing the general idea of futility in exhaustion); Romer, 992 F.2d at 1044 (suggesting that other courts have approved exceptions to the exhaustion requirement for claims that involve questions of law). Thus, regardless whether they were aggrieved by the administrative process, the parents sufficiently attempted to exhaust their claims to open the federal courthouse doors.