Opinion ID: 2659363
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reimbursement for Private Aides

Text: The district court did not err in partially rejecting reimbursement for the cost of the private aides. The court found that “there is insufficient evidence on the record” to prove S.L.’s claim that $14,490 in fees “were incurred,” but ordered reimbursement for $6,999.25, an amount proven by cancelled checks. S.L. argues that the trier of fact can weigh S.L. V. UPLAND UNIFIED SCH. DIST. 11 testimony about pay rates and hours worked. That is what the district court did in finding that S.L.’s estimate for additional compensation was “insufficiently proven because it relies on the witness’ bare estimations without supporting documentation or even a statement that the aides were actually present on every one of those days of this school year for the full six hours.” The ALJ also found that the mother’s testimony “was not helpful in determining the amount of reimbursement” because “there was contradictory testimony as to exactly how long each of the aides was at school each day,” that S.L. “had excessive absences from school due to health-related issues,” and that S.L. arrived late and left early on many occasions. The ALJ also found that there was “no testimony provided as to what portion of the 1099” federal tax forms the parents provided for the aides “should be apportioned” to the 2007/2008 school year. The districts argue that an equitable reduction in reimbursement on the basis of the mother’s conduct was appropriate, but we need not consider this argument because the district court did not reduce the reimbursement amount on that basis. The district court did not mention the mother’s behavior or an equitable reduction of reimbursement in its order.