California OAH Special Education Decisions from 2019
93 decisions: student prevailed on all issues in 14, split in 32, district prevailed on all issues in 47.
Search and filter these decisions
- Student v. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified wrongly held an IEP meeting without parents who asked to reschedule; ALJ orders compensatory tutoring and staff training.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issues
- Student v. Pleasant Valley School District et al. (consolidated)Pleasant Valley School District and Ventura County Office of Education win all issues; district may implement 2019 IEP without parental consent.District prevailed on all issues
- William S. Hart Union High School District v. StudentWilliam S. Hart Union High School District may reassess a ninth grader with autism without parental consent, months before his triennial review.District prevailed on all issues
- Irvine Unified School District v. StudentIrvine Unified's academic assessment is upheld with no IEE owed, and Irvine may assess without consent if the parent wants special education.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Torrance Unified School DistrictTorrance Unified prevails on all claims by a 22-year-old with intellectual disability over his program, transition plan, and IEP implementation.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School DistrictPlacentia-Yorba Linda Unified prevails on all claims; time-barred child find claims dismissed and 2019 IEP upheld as offering FAPE.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified prevails on all claims; no reimbursement owed for Westmark School tuition or a private psychological evaluation.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Lompoc Unified School DistrictLompoc Unified prevails as ALJ rejects claims that a teen should have been found eligible and placed residentially.District prevailed on all issues
- Aspire Public Schools v. StudentAspire Public Schools may stop curb-to-curb transportation for an autistic kindergartner; its IEP with a curbside aide offers a FAPE.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified prevails on placement, communication services, ESY device, and training claims for 18-year-old student.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Redondo Beach Unified School District (consolidated)Redondo Beach Unified prevails on every issue; its 2018 assessment stands and it owes no independent neuropsychological evaluation.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Bellflower Unified School DistrictBellflower Unified violated child find by not assessing a struggling student for 17 months; must fund 69 hours of cognitive training.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issues
- Coronado Unified School District v. StudentCoronado Unified may implement IEP moving student from residential treatment to home while keeping his nonpublic school placement.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Alta Loma School DistrictAlta Loma School District's 84-day delay in filing over a visual processing IEE denied FAPE; only a staff memo ordered.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Oxnard Union High School DistrictOxnard Union High School District offered appropriate behavior supports and placement to a ninth grader with autism; all claims denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Los Angeles Unified School District v. StudentLos Angeles Unified's psychoeducational and occupational therapy assessments were appropriate; parents' request for publicly funded IEEs denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Los Alamitos Unified School District v. StudentLos Alamitos Unified may reassess a 17-year-old with autism without Mother's consent after Father signed the plan.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (consolidated)Santa Monica-Malibu Unified prevails on all claims; fifth grader with ADHD and mood disorder properly found ineligible for special education.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Downey Unified School DistrictDowney Unified's offer of nonpublic school placement at Olive Crest upheld as a FAPE in the least restrictive environment.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Torrance Unified School DistrictTorrance Unified must fund a speech-language IEE for inadequate pragmatic speech services and bullying; Lindamood-Bell reimbursement denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 5 of 15 issues
- Los Angeles Unified School District v. StudentLos Angeles Unified's 2018 speech and language assessment was appropriate; parent's request for a publicly funded IEE denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Upland Unified School District v. StudentUpland Unified may reassess a 14-year-old student with ADHD without parental consent under its March 2019 assessment plan.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Mt. Diablo Unified School DistrictMt. Diablo Unified prevails on all claims over bus transportation, a one-to-one aide, and a private school placement.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified denied an autistic second grader a FAPE by refusing behavior services and goals; 152 compensatory hours ordered.Split decision: student prevailed on 9 of 14 issues
- Student v. Garvey School DistrictGarvey School District must fund a speech IEE and train staff on behavior after a late behavior assessment and an ignored IEE request.Split decision: student prevailed on 2 of 5 issues (1 in part)Vanaman German LLP represented the student
- Student v. Lompoc Unified School District (consolidated)Lompoc Unified denied FAPE by failing to assess a struggling ninth grader; ordered to assess and train staff, IEE claim denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 3 issues
- Cajon Valley Union School District v. StudentCajon Valley Union may give a 12-year-old an initial special education assessment without parental consent.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified did not deny FAPE by skipping behavior clinic meetings or by refusing to let a parent record them.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Escondido Union School DistrictEscondido Union must reimburse $3,500 for an independent psychoeducational evaluation after a federal court found a delayed autism assessment; training denied.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Antioch Unified School DistrictAntioch Unified must reimburse $1,070 for missed specialized academic instruction after a private preschool barred district staff.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 3 issues
- Student v. Aveson Global Leadership Academy (consolidated)Aveson Global Leadership Academy must repay $32,613 in nonpublic school tuition and therapy, plus mileage, over child find delays and missing behavior services.Split decision: student prevailed on 4 of 16 issues
- Student v. Burbank Unified School District (consolidated)Burbank Unified must reimburse $36,910.17 for private preschool and speech therapy; general education and full-time aide claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 20 of 57 issues (6 in part)
- Student v. Southern Kern Unified School DistrictSouthern Kern Unified must fund 190 hours of speech, therapy, and academic support after delayed speech and mental health assessments.Split decision: student prevailed on 5 of 34 issues
- Student v. Vista Unified School DistrictVista Unified must find student eligible under emotional disturbance; ALJ finds district assessment inadequate but rejects predetermination claim.Split decision: student prevailed on 2 of 3 issues
- Garden Grove Unified School District v. StudentGarden Grove Unified's 2018 triennial assessments were appropriate; 20-year-old student with autism denied publicly funded IEEs.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Antioch Unified School DistrictAntioch Unified must fund three independent evaluations and 120 hours of tutoring for failing to assess a student in speech, behavior and mental health and failing to address his school avoidance.Split decision: student prevailed on 4 of 22 issues (3 in part)
- Glendora Unified School District v. StudentGlendora Unified's IEP offers of special education core classes and later home instruction provided a FAPE in the least restrictive environment.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Empire Springs Charter SchoolEmpire Springs Charter School did not expel student by disenrolling him for skipping mandatory annual testing; all relief denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Antioch Unified School DistrictAntioch Unified must fund 174 hours of dyslexia reading instruction, 100 transition hours, and two assessments for an 18-year-old senior.Split decision: student prevailed on 12 of 34 issues (2 in part)
- Student v. Capistrano Unified School District (consolidated)Capistrano Unified did not deny FAPE to student seeking TBI eligibility; district's request to defend court-ordered assessment also denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 9 issues (1 in part)
- Student v. Mt. Diablo Unified School District et al.Mt. Diablo Unified and Contra Costa County Office of Education win residency dispute; disenrolled student's claims denied and stay put vacated.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified prevails: it did not have to hold, or let a parent record, the behavior agency's monthly clinic meetings.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Golden Plains Unified School DistrictGolden Plains Unified must fund two IEEs, 29 counseling hours, and 54.5 tutoring hours after assessment and goal failures.Split decision: student prevailed on 4 of 6 issues (2 in part)
- Student v. William S. Hart Union High School DistrictWilliam S. Hart Union High must reimburse religious school tuition and counseling after failing to make a clear placement offer.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issuesVanaman German LLP represented the student
- Student v. San Marcos Unified School DistrictSan Marcos Unified must reimburse half of Winston School tuition and fund IEEs; award cut for Parents' refusal of reassessment.Split decision: student prevailed on 3 of 7 issues
- Los Angeles Unified School District v. StudentLos Angeles Unified may not implement its August 2018 IEP without parent consent; ALJ finds three procedural violations.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Pasadena Unified School DistrictPasadena Unified prevails on all claims, including child find, assessment, and nonpublic school offer; Bridges Academy reimbursement denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Middletown Unified School District (consolidated)Middletown Unified must reimburse Anova private school costs and fund more placement; its cognitive and academic assessments were upheld.Split decision: student prevailed on 5 of 11 issues
- Lucia Mar Unified School District v. StudentLucia Mar Unified fails to prove its fall 2018 IEP for a 20-year-old offered a FAPE; the IEP cannot be implemented without Parent's consent.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. San Leandro Unified School DistrictSan Leandro Unified's special day class offers for a second grader with autism upheld; nonpublic school reimbursement denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified must repay $32,271.91 in tuition and mileage and fund 152 therapy hours after missing a required IEP meeting.Student prevailed on all issues
- East Side Union High School District v. StudentEast Side Union High School District may exit a high-achieving junior from special education; its assessments were upheld and IEEs denied.District prevailed on all issues
- River Springs Charter School v. StudentRiver Springs Charter School's homeschool IEP offer denied FAPE, but the charter may reassess the student without parental consent.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issues
- Anaheim Elementary School District v. StudentAnaheim Elementary may assess a homeschooled preschooler without parental consent, but its school nurse may not perform a physical exam.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools et al. (consolidated)Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools and Curtis Creek must fund residential placement at Madison Oaks and reimburse $11,025 after broad FAPE denials.Split decision: student prevailed on 19 of 22 issues (2 in part)
- Capistrano Unified School District v. StudentCapistrano Unified may place a nonverbal ninth grader with autism in the county Special Schools program without parental consent.District prevailed on all issues
- Escondido Union School District v. StudentEscondido Union wins on both issues: its psychoeducational assessment stands without an IEE, and its IEP may be implemented.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. San Marcos Unified School District (consolidated)San Marcos Unified must reimburse partial Winston School tuition and fund a psychoeducational IEE after a late reassessment.Split decision: student prevailed on 2 of 3 issues (1 in part)
- San Leandro Unified School District v. StudentSan Leandro Unified's psychoeducational, behavior, and occupational therapy assessments upheld; no publicly funded IEEs in those areas.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Temple City Unified School District (consolidated)Temple City Unified cannot implement unclear 2018 IEP and must offer special day class with specified mainstreaming; current placement continues meanwhile.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issuesVanaman German LLP represented the student
- Bellflower Unified School District v. StudentBellflower Unified fails to prove its February 2018 initial IEP offered FAPE; the IEP cannot be implemented without parent consent.Student prevailed on all issues
- Sonoma Valley Unified School District v. StudentSonoma Valley Unified must fund independent psychoeducational and academic evaluations after failing to prove parents consented to its assessments.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Los Angeles Unified School District (consolidated)Los Angeles Unified prevails on assessment, dyslexia, ESY, and IEP-timing claims; psychoeducational IEE issue dismissed under prior settlement.District prevailed on all issues
- Carlsbad Unified School District v. StudentCarlsbad Unified's July 2018 IEP offered a fifth grader with a reading disability a FAPE; district may implement it without consent.District prevailed on all issues
- Milpitas Unified School District v. StudentMilpitas Unified may not implement its 2018 IEP without consent after holding meetings without the parent and making an unclear offer.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified failed to implement a student's test-correction accommodations in pre-calculus and must regrade her work and train staff.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issues
- Berkeley Unified School District v. StudentBerkeley Unified may not implement its nonpublic school IEP without parent consent; unmeasurable, outdated goals defeated its FAPE claim.Student prevailed on all issues
- William S. Hart Union High School District v. StudentHart Union High School District fails to prove its IEP offered FAPE; request to implement aide over parent objection denied.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Saddleback Valley Unified School DistrictSaddleback Valley Unified's May 2018 IEP offered FAPE; parents denied reimbursement for Johnson Academy and private services.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Poway Unified School District (consolidated)Poway Unified's nonpublic school offer was appropriate but denied FAPE for lack of school details; student's three claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 4 issues
- Upland Unified School District v. StudentUpland Unified may not reassess student without consent because its assessment plan was not in Parent's native Spanish.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Hanford Elementary School DistrictHanford Elementary should have reassessed a student with ADHD, but no remedy because he was not shown eligible.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified must fund independent behavior and occupational therapy assessments; health aide and parent participation claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 4 issues
- Student v. Bellflower Unified School DistrictBellflower Unified owes 250 compensatory hours and a $6,000 IEE for delayed assessment and inadequate IEP goals.Split decision: student prevailed on 3 of 4 issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified must fund 100 hours of compensatory speech services and increase school speech therapy; behavior and procedural claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 4 of 10 issues
- Student v. Irvine Unified School District (consolidated)Irvine Unified must reimburse over $21,000 in Prentice School, tutoring and assessment costs after improperly modifying a student's curriculum.Split decision: student prevailed on 18 of 68 issues (5 in part)
- Berkeley Unified School District v. StudentBerkeley Unified may place a ninth grader with autism at Spectrum Center—Camden Campus for up to 45 school days.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Poway Unified School DistrictPoway Unified must reimburse $728 for summer 2017 tutoring after denying ESY; all other claims, including the NewBridge placement request, denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 23 issues
- Los Alamitos Unified School District v. StudentLos Alamitos Unified may not implement a triennial IEP without consent after excluding parents and relying on flawed assessments.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Antioch Unified School DistrictAntioch Unified prevails on all issues: 2016 autism assessment upheld, no IEE, and manifestation review without parents allowed.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Tahoe Truckee Unified School DistrictTahoe Truckee Unified wrongly used a 30-day interim IEP for its own deaf student; seven hours of compensatory services ordered.Split decision: student prevailed on 2 of 8 issues
- Student v. Capistrano Unified School DistrictCapistrano Unified did not violate child find; before age 18, a high school student with ADHD needed only her 504 plan.District prevailed on all issues
- Poway Unified School District v. StudentPoway Unified's psychoeducational assessment found appropriate; district need not fund an independent psychoeducational evaluation.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified did not have to replace a broken motorized scooter provided under a 2015 settlement; all claims denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Berkeley Unified School District v. StudentBerkeley Unified may reassess a ninth grader with autism without parental consent, but may not use the Differential Ability Scales.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Bellflower Unified School DistrictBellflower Unified must fund six IEEs, 52 hours of instruction, and private school tuition after ignoring a prior OAH order.Student prevailed on all issues
- Arcadia Unified School District v. StudentArcadia Unified may move an 8-year-old to the GOALS program for up to 45 school days after an expedited hearing.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. San Marcos Unified School DistrictSan Marcos Unified prevails on all claims; move of autistic seven-year-old to moderate/severe special day class upheld.District prevailed on all issues
- Capistrano Unified School District v. StudentCapistrano Unified's 2017 triennial assessments were appropriate, so the student gets no publicly funded IEEs; parent did not appear.District prevailed on all issues
- Los Angeles Unified School District v. StudentLos Angeles Unified's April 2018 academic and psychoeducational assessments were appropriate; parents' request for a publicly funded IEE denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified must fund 52 compensatory hours, a full-time 1:1 aide, and general education placement; 2016 claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 8 of 17 issues (2 in part)
- Student v. Springs Charter Schools, also known as River Springs Charter School (consolidated)River Springs Charter must provide 128 hours of compensatory instruction, but its offer of placement at Flabob Academy is upheld as FAPE.Split decision: student prevailed on 3 of 12 issues
- Student v. Goleta Union School DistrictGoleta Union's offer to raise pull-out instruction to 700 weekly minutes for a student with Down syndrome denied FAPE.Student prevailed on all issuesVanaman German LLP represented the student