A FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION (FAPE) - UW …适

1AFREEAPPROPRIATEPUBLICEDUCATION(FAPE)andFAPEREVISITEDSherrieBrownSpecialEducationandtheLawFebruary2,20092IDEArequiresthatSchoolDistrictsprovideaFAPEtostudentswhomeeteligibilitycriteria:Childrenages3-21;Haveoneof13disabilitiesorachildages3-9whoexperiencesdevelopmentaldelays;andRequirespecialeducationandrelatedservicesinordertobenefitfrompubliceducation.3ButwhatisFAPE?Specialeducationandrelatedservicesthat:Areprovidedatpublicexpense(FREE)MeetthestandardsoftheSEAIncludeanappropriateeducationAreprovidedinconformitywiththeIEPIndividuallydesignedtomeettheuniqueneedsofeachchildNospecificfurtherstatutoryorregulatorydefinition.4Bd.ofEducationofHendrickHudsonCentralSDv.Rowley,458U.S.176(1982)FACTSAllaboutAmy….Courtsbelow:DistrictCourtsaidIDEArequiredthatprogrammaximizepotentialofthestudent2ndCircuitCourtofAppealssaidIDEArequiredchildtohaveanopportunitytoachieveherfullpotentialcommensuratewiththeopportunityofferedotherchildren.ISSUESWhatisthestandardforjudgingwhetherastudent’seducationisinfactappropriateforhimorher?Whatisthestandardforjudicialreviewoflowercourtdecision?5RowleymajorityheldthatIDEAdoesnotrequirethatschoolsmaximizeachild’spotential.BasicfloorofopportunityrequiredbyIDEAmeansaccesstospecializedinstructionandrelatedservices.Theremustbepersonalizedinstructionwithsufficientsupporttopermitthechildtobenefiteducationally.Two-parttestistobeusedbycourtstodeterminecompliance:HastheStatecompiledwiththeprocedures?IstheIEPreasonablycalculatedtoallowthechildtobenefitfromtheprogram?6MeasuringEducationalBenefitWhatisthestudent’spresentskill?Whatisthepotentialofthestudent?Hasthestudentmadeprogresstowardspotential?FootnoteinRowley–passingfromgradetograde.Lookatwholeexperience—social,emotional,educational.Balancingbenefits—weighingeverythingindeterminingFAPE.7Subsequentcourtdecisions…HigherStateStandardSeveralstates,suchasNJ,havestateFAPEstandardsthatrequiremorethanRowley.MorethandeMinimusEducationalBenefitStandardappliedbyfivecircuitcourts(notin9th).MeaningfulBenefit9thCircuit(M.L.v.FederalWaySD,387F.3d1101(9thCir.2004)).8FAPEStandard25yearslater…1997amendmentsfocusedoneducational(inregulareducationcurriculum)resultsnotjustaccess—e.g.,stategoalsandindicatorsforperformancerequired.1997amendmentsincludegoalsofindependenceandeconomicself-sufficiency.2004amendmentsincludegoalsofpreparingstudentsforfurthereducation,improvingacademicachievementandfunctionalperformance,etc.2004amendmentschangedslightlytoalignwithNCLB—i.e.,statemustestablishgoalsforperformancethat…9…PromotethepurposesoftheIDEA,Arethesameasthestate’sdefinitionofAYP,Addressgraduationratesanddropoutrates,Areconsistentwithanyothergoalsandstandards,StatesmustadoptperformanceindicatorsandmeasurableannualobjectivesforprogressofchildrenunderNCLB,andStatemustreportannuallytoDOE.10IsFAPE(substantivebenefitstandard)evolving?Whatdoesthismean????Acharacterizationofthelevelofeducationalbenefitrequired—in9thCircuitthisismeaningful(greatsignificanceormeaning).Thebreadthoftheconceptofeducation—wellestablishedthatitiscomprehensive.Howorbywhatcriteriatherequisitelevelofeducationalbenefitshouldbemeasured(i.e.,graduation,grades,testscores,etc.)—individualizedorcase-by-caseapproach?11J.L.&M.L.v.MISchoolDistrict,(W.D.Wa2006)*FederalDistrictcourtheldthatALJwasrelyingon‘old’law–i.e.,Rowleystandard–indeterminingadequacyoftheIEPforthestudent.Thatthestandard,infact,haschangedtoreflectevolvinggoalsofIDEA—i.e.,self-sufficiency,independentlivingandhadignoredthestudent’sgoalsofhighereducation.Remandedalthoughlanguageclearlyindicatesthatundernewstandard,MIloses.*Onappealandarguedat9thCircuitinDecember200812Conclusionfromthecourt…TheIDEAcallsfordisabilityeducationprogramswhichguidethestudenttowardpost-educationindependenceandself-sufficiency.Inpursuitofthatgoal,studentssuchasK.L.mustreceiveeducationalopportunitieswhichsignificantlyadvancethemtowardsthatend.TheIEPsdevelopedinaccordancewiththisstatutoryschememustspecificallydelineatethemethodologiestobeusedtoachievethesegoals,thetimetobeallottedtoeachoftheservicesemployedtothatend,andfurthermustbegearedtowardtheachievementofenumeratedgoals.Whereapreviousyear’sIEPhasfallenshortofthemarksitset,thesucceedingIEPsmustidentifythemeanstoadvancethestudentfurther.13HowcanNCLBbeusedmodifyFAPE?AllstudentsaretobeincludedintheaccountabilitythatNCLBmandates—i.e,meetstandards—isthattheRowleystandard?NCLBrequiresschoolstouse“scientificallybasedresearch”tosupportprogramdecisions—forstudentswithdisabilitiesalso.NCLBrequiresminimumqualificationsforparaprofessionals—forstudentswithdisabilitiesalso.14FAPEandspecificissuesExtendedschooldayoryearMethodologyinrelationtoFAPEFAPEandLovaasTreatmentLREandFAPESeattleSchoolDistrictv.B.S.15So,pleaseconsiderthese…CanparentswaiverightstoFAPE?DoesFAPEguaranteeacertainlevelofachievement?DoespassingfromgradetogradeinregulareducationnecessarilymeanchildisachievingFAPE?Ifchildwithbehavioraldisabilitiesisachievingadequatelyinschool,butnotathome…isitFAPE?Areprocedu