School District Impartial Hearing Lawyers in New York City

The Law Offices of Lloyd Donders is a school district impartial hearing lawyer in New York. Our law firm can assist you if you cannot reach a resolution with your child’s school or administrators regarding his or her IEP (Individualized Education Program) or 504 education plan, or if you feel like your child’s school has failed to take steps to properly accommodate your child’s special needs and provide an adequate education. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents have the right to request a due process hearing if they believe their child’s special needs aren’t being met, disagree with the school’s decision about IEPs or 504 education plans, or if they feel that the school and teachers are failing to properly implement a plan. Due process hearings proceed in the way a trial would proceed, with both parties presenting evidence to an impartial hearing officer who will listen to both sides and issue a ruling.

Special needs children have a right to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Parents of special needs children have a right to request an IEP evaluation, have the right to review their child’s IEP, and have the right to ask for changes. Parents can also request that changes be made to a 504 education plan. In many cases, schools will make an effort to work with parents to ensure that children’s education needs are met, but sometimes parents find that their requests are denied, that their child’s plan doesn’t meet the child’s needs, and that their requests for appropriate accommodation are unheard. If this happens, you have a right to request a school district impartial hearing. Parents have the right to make a complaint and have their issues reviewed by a hearing officer. Hearings should ideally be resolved in a timely manner, but in New York some students have fallen through the cracks when hearings were delayed. Some students even experienced gaps in their education. The Law Offices of Lloyd Donders is a school district impartial hearing lawyer in New York that can help you draft a request for a hearing, oversee the process, and assist you every step of the way. We can fight for your rights and for your child’s rights, and we may be able to help you so that you can avoid gaps in your child’s access to a free appropriate public education.

Do you feel unheard about your child’s special needs? Is your child’s school not meeting his or her needs? Have you been unable to resolve disagreements about your child’s IEP and 504 education plan? A school district impartial hearing may be your next step in resolving your issue. The Law Offices of Lloyd Donders is a due process hearing lawyer in New York that may be able to help you.

How a Due Process Hearing Works 

During your hearing, you’ll have the opportunity to present your evidence. The school and administrators will have a chance to present their side of the story along with evidence. It is important that you gather important documents related to your child’s education and special needs, including formal assessments, medical statements and documents, your child’s current IEP or 504 education plan, and any correspondence you may have had with the school, teachers, or administrators regarding your child’s education plan. Other relevant evidence may be lesson plans, homework, or other feedback your child may have received in school. The due process hearing lawyer at the Law Offices of Lloyd Donders in New York can help you organize the evidence you’ll need to make the strongest possible case. In some cases, the Law Offices of Lloyd Donders may be able to work with you and the school outside the hearing to resolve the situation, but sometimes a hearing must be held.

If the ruling doesn’t go in your favor, you may also have the ability to appeal the ruling, and in some cases, parents can take their case to the Office of State Review or to state or federal court. Due process hearings can sometimes get complicated and cases themselves can also sometimes be complex. Having a due process hearing lawyer on your side can sometimes help. The Law Offices of Lloyd Donders is a due process hearing law firm in New York that can help you every step of the way should a school district impartial hearing be required in your situation.

We May Be Able to Help 

It can be incredibly stressful if you feel your child is not getting the educational support he or she needs and deserves. Choosing to request a formal due process hearing can also be stressful because it can feel like you’re fighting your child’s school and teachers. However, sometimes school administrators don’t know the law, or know what their obligations are when it comes to special needs children. The Law Offices of Lloyd Donders is a due process hearing lawyer in New York who can review your situation, help you understand the next steps, and help you take the next steps to ensure that your child gets the education he or she is entitled to receive under the law.