STATE OF CONNECTICUT
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Student v. Region 18 Board of Education - CT SDE Case No. 17-0444
Case No. 17-0444
Student v. Region 18 Board of Education
Appearing on behalf of the Parents: Attorney Philip Cohn Goldman, Gruder & Woods, LLC 200 Connecticut Avenue Norwalk, CT 06854
Appearing on behalf of the Board: Attorney Kyle McClain Zangari, Cohn, Cuthbertson, Duhl & Grello, P.C 59 Elm Street, Suite 400 New Haven, CT 06510
Appearing before: Justino Rosado, Esq. Hearing Officer
ISSUES:
1. Did the Board violate “child find” by not identifying the Student as requiring special education and related services as defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) in a timely manner? If so;
2. Was the unilateral placement of the Student at True North, from January 4, 2017 to March 29, 2017 provide a meaningful education?
3. Should the Board reimburse the Parents for their unilateral placement of the Student at True North?
4. Was the unilateral placement of the Student at Telos, from March 31, 2017 to the end of the 2016- 2017 school year provide a meaningful education?
5. Should the Board reimburse the Parents for their unilateral placement at Telos?
6. Should the Board be responsible for the cost of the psychological assessment by Dr. Todd Correlli?
7. Should the Board be responsible for the cost for the cost of the Psychiatric Evaluation by Dr. Claudia Califano?
8. Should the Board be responsible for the cost of the educational consultant?
9. Should the Board be responsible for the cost of therapies not covered by insurance?
10. Should the Board be responsible for the cost all the transportation by Parents and Student to his placements at True North and Telos?
11. Is the Student entitled to compensatory education for the denial of FAPE?
SUMMARY AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY:
The Student has been identified with Emotional Disturbance and is entitled to receive FAPE as defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 20 U.S.C. §1401 et seq. and Connecticut General Statute §10-76a et seq.
At the March 21, 2017 planning and placement team (PPT) meeting, the Parents rejected the program offered by the Board for the 2016-2017 school year and requested reimbursement for their unilateral placements of the Student; the Board refused the Parents’ request. On April 19, 2017, the Board received notice of the Parents’ request for due process. An impartial hearing officer was appointed on April 12, 2017 and a pre-hearing conference was held on April 24, 2017. A hearing date of June 13, 2017 was chosen by the parties. The parties agreed to forego a resolution meeting and mediate the matter on May 23, 2017.
At the June 13, 2017 hearing date, the Parents withdrew the matter with prejudice. The Board agreed with the withdrawal. The mailing date for the Final Decision and Order is July 3, 2017.
FINAL DECISION AND ORDER:
THE MATTER IS DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.