California OAH Special Education Decisions from 2020
81 decisions: student prevailed on all issues in 9, split in 28, district prevailed on all issues in 44.
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- Student v. Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School DistrictBass Lake Joint Union must fund 500 compensatory hours for a medically fragile preschooler after unclear IEP offers and undelivered services.Split decision: student prevailed on 5 of 11 issues
- Student v. Citrus Springs Charter School et al.Empire Springs and Citrus Springs charter schools offered FAPE to a home-schooled student with autism; private school funding claim denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Alameda Unified School District v. StudentAlameda Unified properly refused to fund an IEE by a clinical neuropsychologist who did not meet SELPA evaluator criteria.District prevailed on all issues
- Anaheim Elementary School District v. StudentAnaheim Elementary may assess a six-year-old in person without parental consent or conditions, but no physical exam without consent.District prevailed on all issues
- Western Placer Unified School District v. StudentWestern Placer Unified's initial multidisciplinary assessment of a preschooler upheld; parents' request for a publicly funded IEE denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Upland Unified School District (consolidated)Upland Unified wins every decided issue; adult student's eligibility lapsed after mother withheld triennial consent; two district claims not reached.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Capistrano Unified School DistrictCapistrano Unified's triennial assessments and middle school placement offers upheld; student's request for nonpublic school placement denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Compton Unified School DistrictCompton Unified prevails on all four claims; late assessment plan harmless and nonresident student's disenrollment upheld.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Grossmont Union High School DistrictGrossmont Union High must provide four hours of counseling and four hours of math tutoring and flag its deficient mental health assessment as unreliable; child find claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 4 of 7 issues (2 in part)
- Student v. The Met Sacramento Public High SchoolThe Met Sacramento charter school properly found a ninth grader ineligible for special education; all assessment and eligibility claims denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified must fund a deaf preschooler's John Tracy Center placement and reimburse $1,750 after offering a non-LRE placement.Split decision: student prevailed on 5 of 9 issues (1 in part)Affirmed in part, reversed in part on appealVanaman German LLP represented the student
- Los Angeles Unified School District v. StudentLos Angeles Unified's psychoeducational reassessment found appropriate; parent not entitled to a publicly funded IEE.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified must fund speech therapy and Lindamood-Bell instruction and conduct three assessments; most other claims were denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 15 of 58 issues (3 in part)
- Student v. Chaffey Joint Union High School DistrictChaffey Joint Union High must fund adapted physical education and assistive technology IEEs and maintain speech therapy; seven claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 4 of 16 issues
- Plumas Lake Elementary School District v. StudentPlumas Lake Elementary may implement a kindergartner's speech IEP without parental consent; ALJ finds no need for a device-based goal.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Capistrano Unified School District (consolidated)Capistrano Unified prevails on all four issues; ALJ upholds February 2020 IEP and intellectual development assessment, denies IEE.District prevailed on all issues
- Los Angeles Unified School District v. StudentLos Angeles Unified's 2019 psychoeducational reassessment was appropriate, so the district need not fund an independent evaluation.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified denied a preschooler FAPE through two prohibited interventions and must provide 21.5 compensatory hours and an assessment.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issuesVanaman German LLP represented the student
- Student v. Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School DistrictPalos Verdes Peninsula Unified wins on all four claims: child find, assessments, two IEP offers, and parent participation.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Bellflower Unified School DistrictBellflower Unified must fund an independent vision and orientation and mobility assessment of up to $6,000; psychoeducational and implementation claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issues (1 in part)
- Student v. Bellflower Unified School DistrictBellflower Unified must fund a vision and mobility assessment up to $6,000; psychoeducational and implementation claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issues (1 in part)
- Student v. Fremont Unified School DistrictFremont Unified prevails on all 17 claims by an adult student with anxiety over home instruction and IEP meetings.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. San Diego Unified School District (consolidated)San Diego Unified prevails on all claims; its speech and mental health assessments and 2019-2020 IEP offers are upheld.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Norris School District (consolidated)Norris School District must fund 200 hours of compensatory services, but may implement its January 2020 special day class IEP.Split decision: student prevailed on 7 of 9 issues (6 in part)
- Lucia Mar Unified School District v. StudentLucia Mar Unified must fund an independent functional vision assessment after failing to prove it used a valid assessment plan.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School DistrictMountain View-Los Altos Union High School District prevails on all claims; student succeeding in general education was properly found ineligible.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified's COVID-19 distance learning denied FAPE to an aging-out student; ALJ orders 41 hours of compensatory services.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issues
- Student v. Bellflower Unified School DistrictBellflower Unified must fund 190 compensatory hours and staff training over bullying, unkept IEP promises, and an unilateral placement change.Split decision: student prevailed on 6 of 11 issues (1 in part)
- Student v. Newport-Mesa Unified School District (consolidated)Newport-Mesa Unified must reimburse about $50,207 for a year of private school after skipping an annual IEP; other claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 13 issues (1 in part)
- Student v. Chaffey Joint Union High School DistrictChaffey Joint Union High School District prevails on all claims; 19-year-old English learner found not eligible for special education.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Santa Cruz City SchoolsSanta Cruz City Schools did not deny a parent meaningful participation at a March 2018 initial IEP eligibility meeting.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. San Juan Unified School District et al.San Juan Unified and Visions In Education must assess a 10th grader after wrongly refusing parent's requests; speech claim denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issues
- Student v. Rocklin Unified School DistrictRocklin Unified must repay $12,950 in private school tuition and fund 22 counseling hours after wrongly denying eligibility.Split decision: student prevailed on 3 of 16 issues
- Student v. Bakersfield City School District (consolidated)Bakersfield City must fund two IEEs and compensatory tutoring, counseling and social skills for a kindergartner; mental health assessment upheld.Split decision: student prevailed on 6 of 8 issues
- Student v. ABC Unified School District et al.ABC Unified denied FAPE by refusing to consider a post-discharge placement for a hospitalized student; claim against Los Angeles Unified denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 2 of 3 issues
- Westminster School District v. StudentWestminster School District's 2020 triennial reassessment upheld; kindergartner not entitled to four independent evaluations at public expense.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Castro Valley Unified School DistrictCastro Valley Unified offered FAPE in general education; request to fund Montana residential placement denied on all claims.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Bellflower Unified School DistrictBellflower Unified must reimburse $7,600, fund a mental health IEE, and provide 190 compensatory hours; three claims fail.Split decision: student prevailed on 8 of 11 issues (1 in part)
- Student v. Chula Vista Elementary School DistrictChula Vista Elementary prevails on all claims over a student's assessments, reading and writing goals, and dyslexia services.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictALJ upheld Los Angeles Unified's ESY placement and length; a federal court reversed on both issues.District prevailed on all issuesReversed on appealVanaman German LLP represented the student
- Student v. Bellflower Unified School DistrictBellflower Unified must provide 255 hours of structured reading instruction to an autistic 11th grader; assessment and transition claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 3 issues
- Student v. Chaffey Joint Union High School DistrictChaffey Joint Union High School District prevails on all eight claims involving a newcomer English learner found not eligible.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Torrance Unified School DistrictTorrance Unified must reimburse $10,750 in private school tuition, plus mileage, for a late reassessment; triennial claim time-barred.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issues
- Student v. Santa Paula Unified School DistrictSanta Paula Unified's manifestation determination reversed because the team considered only the student's learning disability label and skipped the implementation question.Student prevailed on all issuesVanaman German LLP represented the student
- Alta Loma School District v. StudentAlta Loma School District's 2019 IEP offering a special day class provided a FAPE; the district may implement it without parent consent.District prevailed on all issues
- Garvey School District v. StudentGarvey School District must fund independent psychoeducational and speech-language evaluations after failing to prove its assessments were appropriate.Student prevailed on all issuesVanaman German LLP represented the student
- Student v. Mountain View School DistrictMountain View School District did not deny FAPE by excluding a nonpublic agency aide from an IEP meeting or limiting parent-aide contact.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Paso Robles Joint Unified School DistrictPaso Robles Joint Unified denied FAPE by moving student out of residential treatment; ordered to locate her and fund services.Split decision: student prevailed on 3 of 6 issues
- Student v. Menifee Union School DistrictMenifee Union must reverse expulsion of student with ADHD after a flawed manifestation review; ALJ finds basis of knowledge.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Redondo Beach Unified School DistrictRedondo Beach Unified prevails: special day class for core academics with general education for the rest of the day upheld as LRE.District prevailed on all issuesReversed in part on appealVanaman German LLP represented the student
- Student v. Las Virgenes Unified School DistrictLas Virgenes Unified offered and provided FAPE in a middle school special day class; parents' request for nonpublic school denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Santa Clara County Office of Education et al.Discovery Charter School II and Santa Clara County Office of Education were not the responsible LEA after the student's private placement and settlement.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified's IEP for a student with autism in a moderate-severe class upheld; all claims denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified wins all claims challenging goals, aide, speech services, placement, and technology in a student's 2019 IEP.District prevailed on all issues
- Long Beach Unified School District v. StudentLong Beach Unified's speech-language and occupational therapy assessments upheld; parent's request for publicly funded independent evaluations denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified did not deny a preschooler FAPE by declining school-based occupational therapy; parents' claim denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Corona-Norco Unified School District v. StudentCorona-Norco Unified may reassess a student with autism without parental consent; request for advisory ruling on FAPE denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Irvine Unified School District (consolidated)On remand, ALJ finds Prentice used accommodations, not modified curriculum, and the finding that Irvine Unified denied FAPE stands.Student prevailed on all issues
- Poway Unified School District v. StudentPoway Unified's May 2019 IEP continuing a nonpublic school placement at TERI offered FAPE; district may implement it without consent.District prevailed on all issues
- Monterey Peninsula Unified School District v. StudentMonterey Peninsula Unified loses bid to defend its psychoeducational assessment and must fund an independent evaluation.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Long Beach Unified School DistrictLong Beach Unified must provide 131 compensatory hours and new assessments for failing to implement an IEP; other claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 7 issues
- Trivium Charter School v. StudentTrivium Charter School may reassess a tenth grader without parent consent; its request to compel medical releases is denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Manhattan Beach Unified School DistrictOn remand, Manhattan Beach Unified must reimburse parents $8,314.89 for nonpublic school tuition and residential-placement travel costs.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Redondo Beach Unified School DistrictRedondo Beach Unified wins all three claims over general education placement, iPad use, and parent consultation.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. McCabe Union Elementary School District (consolidated)McCabe Union Elementary must reimburse a $4,778.96 IEE and fund compensatory services after wrongly finding a student with ADHD ineligible.Student prevailed on all issues
- Greenfield Union School District v. StudentGreenfield Union may implement its August 2019 IEP without Parent's consent after ALJ finds the offer provided FAPE.District prevailed on all issues
- Greenfield Union School District v. StudentGreenfield Union may implement its August 2019 IEP without parent consent after ALJ finds it offered FAPE.District prevailed on all issues
- Alta Loma Elementary School District v. StudentAlta Loma Elementary's May 2019 IEP placing a student with autism in a County autism class offered a FAPE.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Oakland Unified School District (consolidated)Oakland Unified may place student in a special day class but owes weekly tutoring for delaying its due process filing.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 14 issues
- Student v. Modesto City Schools et al.Modesto City Schools wins dismissal of claims over refused in-home behavior services as barred by two-year statute of limitations.District prevailed on all issues
- Garvey School District v. StudentGarvey School District may exit a kindergartner from special education without parental consent after assessments showed he no longer qualified.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School DistrictSanta Monica-Malibu Unified must fund two years of Pivotal Response Training after an aide used aversive techniques on a studentSplit decision: student prevailed on 1 of 2 issuesVanaman German LLP represented the student
- Student v. Las Virgenes Unified School DistrictLas Virgenes Unified prevails on all claims about its response to an independent evaluation, dyslexia services, and eligibility categories.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Bellflower Unified School DistrictBellflower Unified must reimburse Fusion Academy tuition after late annual IEPs and missing academic goals; four claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 3 of 7 issues (1 in part)
- Student v. Fortuna Union High School DistrictFortuna Union High School District's manifestation finding overturned; student with autism returns to school and gets a behavior assessment.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 3 issues
- Colton Unified School District v. StudentColton Unified's triennial assessments and general education IEP offer upheld; parent's requests for three IEEs denied.District prevailed on all issues
- Colton Unified School District v. StudentColton Unified's triennial assessments were appropriate and its general education IEP offered FAPE; no IEEs at public expense.District prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Oakland Unified School DistrictOakland Unified's unclear January 2018 IEP offer denied FAPE; staff training and IEP page numbering ordered, other claims denied.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 13 issues
- Student v. Oakland Unified School DistrictOakland Unified's unclear January 2018 IEP offer denied FAPE; ALJ orders staff training and page numbering, rejects other claims.Split decision: student prevailed on 1 of 13 issues
- San Francisco Unified School District v. StudentSan Francisco Unified may not implement its SOAR Academy IEP without parent consent because the offer was unclear.Student prevailed on all issues
- Student v. Lompoc Unified School District (consolidated)Lompoc Unified denied FAPE through inadequate behavior supports, a flawed speech assessment, and an involuntary transfer; 240 compensatory hours ordered.Split decision: student prevailed on 5 of 9 issues