California OAH special education order · February 27, 2026
Order Denying Student's Request to Seal OAH Decision
OAH Case No. 2025110210 · ALJ Peter Paul Castillo
OAH denied Parent's request to seal, remove from its website, or limit publication of the expedited hearing decision, because the IDEA requires decisions to be made public once personally identifiable information is removed.
This case went to decision
Student v. Cupertino Union School District: Cupertino Union wins expedited case: no disciplinary removals proven, so no manifestation determination was required. (2026)
Summary
After OAH issued a final decision on Student's expedited claims against Cupertino Union School District, Parent filed a motion to seal the decision, remove it from OAH's website, or limit its publication. District opposed and Student replied. The Division Chief ALJ denied the motion. The IDEA requires hearing decisions to be made available to the public after personally identifiable information is deleted, and OAH found the decision complied with the IDEA and other applicable laws.
Why it matters
Families should expect OAH special education decisions to be published in redacted form. A request to seal or remove a decision is unlikely to succeed when the decision already strips out personally identifiable information as the IDEA requires.
Key authority cited
- 34 C.F.R. § 300.513(d)(2)
Topics
Full text of the order
Published text of the OAH order. Page headers and numbers from the original PDF have been dropped.
BEFORE THE
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE MATTER OF:
PARENTS ON BEHALF OF STUDENT,
v.
CUPERTINO UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OAH CASE NUMBER 2025110210
ORDER DENYING STUDENT’S REQUEST TO SEAL OAH
DECISION
FEBRUARY 27, 2026
On November 5, 2025, the Office of Administrative Hearings, called OAH, received a due process hearing request from Student naming Cupertino Union School District. The complaint contained expedited and non-expedited hearing claims. OAH set the expedited and non-expedited matters for separate hearings. The expedited claims proceeded to hearing with no continuances. On February 4, 2026, OAH issued a final decision.
On February 20, 2026, Parent on behalf of Student filed a Motion to Seal/Request Removal From Website/Limit Publication. District filed an opposition on February 24, 2026 and Student a reply on February 25, 2026.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, known also as the IDEA, requires that all hearing decisions and related findings be made available to the public following deletion of any personally identifiable information. (34 C.F.R. § 300.513(d)(2).) Student’s motion cites a variety of other Federal and California law in support of the request. OAH complies with the provisions of the IDEA in the issuance and publication of its decisions, and the Decision issued in this matter complies with the IDEA and other applicable laws.
Accordingly, Student’s motion is denied.
Peter Paul Castillo Division Chief Administrative Law Judge Office of Administrative Hearings