Ken Chackes, Thomas E. Kennedy, III, Heather B. Navarro November 22, 2011

 IDEA, 20 U.S.C  Regulations  Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act  ADA

 Overview  Findings  Purpose

IDEA – Impairment that requires special education and related services  Special Education is defined as specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of a child.  If a child with a disability does not need special education – he/she is not covered by IDEA and is not eligible for services under IDEA. 504/ADA – Any disability – physical or mental impairment that affects major life activity -- TO BE COVERED BY 504 STUDENT DOES NOT HAVE TO NEED SPECIAL EDUCATION

Substantive Legal Requirements  FAPE – Free Appropriate Public Education  LRE – Least Restrictive Environment

 Section 504 "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States... shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance...." 29 U.S.C. §794(a).  ADA "Subject to the provisions of this title, no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity."

Section 504 & ADA 1. Non-discrimination 2. FAPE 3. LRE

 Child Find  Evaluation  IEP  Placement  Notice Hearing ◦ Resolution ◦ Mediation ◦ Due process ◦ Court

Student with ADHD in RTI (Response to Intervention)  Analyze the claims of the parent and defenses of the school district. What should the hearing officer order?  Assume this case is typical of hundreds of other cases in the same school district. Assume that the school district is overwhelmingly African American. What should an educational advocate do? What should the State do?

Student with severe disabilities placed in state operated school.  As the parent’s attorney, what do you advise the parent?  As the school district’s attorney, what arguments do you make to defend the district?  As the head of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education what questions and concerns do you have regarding the operation of the SSSD system?  As an attorney/advocate for people with disabilities what do you do?

Child who needs year round schooling. Questions:  How should policymakers at state and local levels address this issue?  What legal claims and defenses apply?

Child with autism who needs intensive services.  How should educational policymakers at state and local levels address this issue?  What legal claims and defenses apply?

Special needs children in Foster Care  What are the options available to the foster parent?  What should a DFS administrator do? What should the school do?

Ken Chackes Chackes, Carlson & Halquist, LLP 230 S. Bemiston Ave., Suite 800 St. Louis, MO P: Thomas E. Kennedy, III Heather B. Navarro Law Offices of Thomas E. Kennedy, III, L.C. 230 S. Bemiston Ave., Suite 800 St. Louis, MO P: