TOGETHER. SHAPING THE FUTURE.  You’re a Grandparent.   You need to know this. Jean Murrell Adams, Senior Managing Attorney ADAMS ESQ, a Special Education Law Firm You’ve reached grandparent status.  If you don’t have a grandchild with a disability, you probably know someone who does.  You may volunteer at your local school or simply be the “go to” person in your neighborhood, church or on-line.  You may be raising your grandchild or live miles away from him.  In any case, you will probably hear the question

Si ustedprefiere la hoja informative en espanolporfavor de comunicarsea oaklandadmin@adamsesq.com  Some psychologists say the most important human emotion is trust. As infants, we learn to trust our parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents and other caregivers. As children, we build trusting relationships with friends, religious leaders and our teachers. As adults, these “social contracts”, based on mutual respect and understanding, support our relationships and every day expectations. We trust our cell phone provider to ensure service-as long as we pay the bill. We trust our first-responders

Below is a reprint of a recent press release by COPAA.  It contains a good legal analysis of the importance of “stay put” . In its amicus brief, filed July 28, the special education administrators and the school boards association argue that the appeals court ruling puts a financial burden on districts, and disrupts the collaborative framework for resolving disputes that is written into special education law. They assert that under this decision, parents have an incentive to draw out their cases as long as possible, rather than

Legal Alert: According to a recent blog post on the JDSupra website, nearly 14 years after President Bush signed the IDEA Improvement Act of 2004, California’s special education regulations have been updated and became effective July 1, 2014. The revisions align what the California Department of Education ("CDE") has referred to as "old, out-of-date regulations" with existing state statutes and federal statutes and regulations. Key Change: Updated Eligibility Criteria in Section 3030 Autism The new regulation deletes the term "autistic-like behaviors" and adds the term

 Hector F. v. El Centro Elementary Sch. Dist. (CA4/1 D064035 6/24/14)  California’s public schools must protect students from discrimination and harassment engendered by race, gender, sexual orientation or disability.  In particular, Education Code section 32282 requires that public schools develop and implement comprehensive school safety plans which include a discrimination and harassment policy.  These include, "to the extent that resources are available . . . policies and procedures aimed at the prevention of bullying."  (Ed. Code, § 32282, subd.(f).) Hector F. is the father of three children.  While Hector’s

Legal Alert Nearly 14 years after President Bush signed the IDEA Improvement Act of 2004, special education regulations found in the California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 3001-3088, have been updated and became effective July 1, 2014. The revisions align what the California Department of Education ("CDE") has referred to as "old, out-of-date regulations" with existing state statutes and federal statutes and regulations. The new regulations were finalized after a period of public comment and the holding of a public hearing on July 8,

Threatened with charges of wiretapping: Here’s a case that makes you wonder. A special education high school student recorded a bullying incident and the school district threatened with charges of criminal wiretapping. According to a recent report in the Daily Caller, school administrators agreed to reduce the sentence, and March 19 the student, from South Fayette High School in McDonald, Pa., was charged with disorderly conduct. The student and his mother, Shea Love, testified in front of District Judge Maureen McGraw-Desmet that he had been

According to a recent Seattle Times article, a Washington non-profit group obtained data showing the depth of disproportionate discipline in nine school districts, which affects not just students of color but also those in special-education programs, and those from low-income families and in foster care. In Seattle, for example, the data suggest black students were suspended and expelled at five times the rate of white students in the 2012-13 school year. And in Bellevue, special-education students are disciplined three times more often than the average

What is Common Core? For many years, California set its own standards of academic achievement. Our children were given yearly standardized tests to measure whether or not they were meeting these minimum standards. In 2008, widespread concerns over floundering U.S. academic achievement prompted states to join together and create updated common academic standards that rely less on rote learning and more on critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These are called Common Core State Standards and currently cover only English and Math. The goal of Common