Special Education Tip # 3: Make a Record of Events
Team meetings can be fast-paced and confusing events that are often emotional, with many people offering varied opinions about your child’s progress. On the other hand, communications with teachers and administrators about your child occur more frequently than team meetings, but they are often short and informal and, sometimes, hard to remember. In both situations, important information is commonly shared about your child’s performance and his or her educational program which you may later wish that you had documented. Parents often make the mistake of not writing things down as they occur. When you attend a team meeting, don’t rely on the school minutes as an accurate version of events. Be sure that you take your own notes or, better yet, bring someone with you whose sole job is to write down what occurs. It is important to make a record of what each team member said about your child’s performance. Likewise, when you have discussions with teachers or administrators about your child, it is a good practice to document important information in writing. For example, if a teacher tells you that she is reducing your son’s homework because he is struggling with math, it is perfectly appropriate – and a good idea – to follow up by sending a polite email summarizing your conversation and asking to be kept informed about his progress. Remember, your emails and letters may be included in your child’s file. All correspondence should be based on facts and written in a cordial and unemotional style. Be sure to indicate the date on all correspondence. In addition to correspondence, some parents find it useful to keep a journal or diary concerning important educational events. We find that parents who keep good records are much better prepared and organized in answering our questions about their child’s program. In short, if it is important, write it down. Written records will serve you well if you ever need to document past events. For more information, please contact us at 781-930-3127. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.No Fields Found.
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Disabled Persons Are Entitled To Protections In The Hiring Process
Searching for employment is a difficult process, and having a disability can sometimes make a job search even harder. In order to comply with the law and to provide disabled persons with the protections that they deserve, an employer must understand who is protected under federal and state discrimination laws, what it means to be qualified for a position, and what types of accommodations an employer may be legally required to provide. The federal government defines a person with a disability as: Any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or who has a record of such impairment (a history of one or more major life activities being limited or an episodic but not currently manifesting impairment), or who is regarded as having such an impairment (a presumption that a person has an impairment, which may or may not be a mistaken belief). This means that, even if a prospective employee is not disabled, he or she is entitled to protection if the employer believes that he or she has a disability. This distinction often occurs in the context of a disease which does not impact the employee’s ability to work, but the employer nonetheless refuses to hire or treats an existing employee as disabled because of the employer’s misperception about the disease. Under these circumstances, the employee is entitled to protections under federal and state law. An impairment is considered to be disabling if it “limits a major life activity.” So, what is a major life activity? Both the federal government and Massachusetts identify several activities that fall within the definition, but neither present an exhaustive list. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recognizes that “major life activities” can be both physical activities and major bodily functions. These activities may include, but are not limited to: Caring for Oneself Performing Manual Tasks Walking Seeing Hearing Speaking Breathing Learning Working Functions of Bodily Systems or Neurological Functions Under federal and state law, an employer cannot refuse to hire a qualified person who falls within this definition of disability, so long as the person is capable of performing the essential functions of the job with or without “reasonable accommodations” We will discuss these terms in upcoming blog articles. For more information, please contact us at 781-930-3127. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.No Fields Found.
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Special Education Tip # 6: Make Sure Your Child Receives an Evaluation within the Required Timeframe
Special Education Tip – Receiving a Timely Evaluation As a parent there may come a time when you are concerned about your child’s performance in school, and you may suspect that your child requires special education services to make progress. If this is the case, you will want to request that your school district conduct an initial evaluation to determine if your child is eligible to receive special education and related services. Once you have requested an initial evaluation, there are specific timelines imposed under both federal and state law that outline when the school district must conduct such an evaluation and convene a team meeting to discuss the results. The laws setting out these timelines can be confusing with some differences between Massachusetts law and Federal requirements set out by the IDEA. Massachusetts law provides stricter timelines than the Federal IDEA when it comes to the period of time a school district has to conduct an evaluation. In Massachusetts, evaluations must be completed within 30 school working days after the receipt of a parent’s written consent to an initial evaluation, or a re-evaluation. In addition, the district must convene a Team meeting to review the evaluation results, determine whether the student requires special education, and, if required, must develop an IEP within 45 school working days after receiving consent for an evaluation. If requested by the parents, the district must also provide a summary of the findings of the evaluation 2 days prior to the team meeting. In essence, this means that once a parent requests an evaluation, the school district has 30 school days to complete the evaluation and 45 school days to complete the entire process, including convening a team meeting to discuss the results and develop an IEP, if necessary. It is important to note that the law uses the term “school days” rather than “days” or “calendar days” which means that only days that school is in session are counted. “School working days” does not include weekends, holidays and other breaks from school. By way of example, if you were to request and provide consent for an evaluation of your child on September 2, 2014, the district would be required to complete the evaluation by October 15, 2014. This counts 30 school days, including a day off for Columbus Day, and not counting weekend days. Under this same example, the school district would have until November 5, 2014 to conduct a Team meeting and draft an IEP (if one was required) as this date falls 45 school days from the date of consent for the evaluation. If you are concerned that your school district is not complying with the timelines for an evaluation required under Massachusetts law, please contact an attorney in our office for further information and assistance – we are here to help. For more information, please contact us at 781-930-3127. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.No Fields Found.
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Special Education Tip #2: Does Your Child Need Extended Year Services?
School is about to end. What if my child still needs services? Some children who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) may be eligible for services beyond the normal school year. These services are commonly referred to as extended school year, or ESY, services. Although these services are typically delivered during summer vacation, as that is the longest break your child has from school, ESY services are not limited to the summer and can be provided during other breaks from school or as an extension of the normal school day. Under the IDEA, extended school year services include special education and related services that are provided to a student with a disability beyond the normal school year, in accordance with a child’s IEP and, importantly, at no cost to the parents of the child. ESY programs should offer services that are consistent with a child’s IEP goals and objectives addressed throughout the school year; however they don’t necessarily have to be the same services delivered at the same frequency as provided during the regular school year. Decisions about a student’s eligibility for ESY services and the type of service(s) needed will be made by your child’s IEP team. This determination can be made at an initial eligibility meeting, an annual review meeting, or even at an IEP meeting convened for the express purpose of considering the need for ESY services. As a parent, you are a member of the IEP team, and you or any other team member can request an IEP team meeting to consider your child’s need for ESY services. In Massachusetts, the team must consider whether or not a child receiving special education services needs an extended year program at least once annually and must record its determination in the IEP. In terms of timing – the Team must consider the need for ESY services prior to the end of the regular school year or the beginning of the school break. If you are concerned about a lack of ESY services, make sure you address your concerns with your child’s IEP team before the end of the school year. If you have further questions about ESY services, please contact us for more information. For more information, please contact us at 781-930-3127. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.No Fields Found.
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Interviews – What Can You Ask And What Shouldn’t You Ask?
What Can You Ask And What Shouldn’t You Ask in Interviews? Obviously, an employer’s intent during an interview is to determine whether a candidate is a good fit for the job. However, the interview process has many pitfalls for an interviewer who is unaware of laws which prohibit questions in certain areas. In Massachusetts, it is unlawful for a private employer with six or more employees, or a public employer with any number of employees, to refuse to hire an applicant because they are a member, or are presumed to be a member, of a protected class. Interview questions that are used in an attempt to gain information about an applicant’s membership in a protected class may be considered unlawful if they are not necessary to satisfy federal or state law, or are not necessary for the specific job qualifications. Sample Questions: Here are some examples of appropriate questions, followed by examples of inappropriate questions accompanied with an explanation. 1. Are you over 18 years of age? NOT: How old are you? Are you old enough to retire soon? Questions regarding age may only be asked to assess if an applicant is of legal age to perform the essential duties of the position when the position requires that an applicant be a certain age. They may not be used for the purposes of discriminating against an applicant due to advanced age. 2. Are you legally authorized to work in the United States? NOT: What is your ancestry or national origin? Where were you born? An employer may inquire into the applicant’s work authorization, but may not ask questions about where a person is from in order to make assumptions about if that individual immigrated from another country, are a native English speaker, etc. 3. Are you able to perform the essential duties associated with the position? NOT: Do you have a disability/handicap? An employer may ask if an applicant can perform all of the duties essential to the position, but the employer may not ask if an applicant has a disability and then make assumptions about the applicant’s ability to perform work-related tasks. As long as an applicant is a “qualified” person with a handicap they should have an equal opportunity for being hired just like any other applicant. 4. Are you a U.S. Veteran? NOT: Are you disabled due to military service? An employer may ask applicants if they served in the U.S. Military but may not ask questions in a manner that would require an applicant to provide additional information associating themselves with a protected category. For information on some additional categories of interview questions that are (and are not) permissible, please refer to this blog article. Please contact us if you have specific questions about employment law and the hiring process. For more information, please contact us at 781-930-3127. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.No Fields Found.
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Hiring New Employees In Massachusetts
Hiring qualified employees is crucial for any successful business. Likewise, prospective employees are equally invested in finding fulfilling jobs which provide fair wages. Over the years, the hiring process has become subject to many laws which regulate the actions of employers in interviewing and hiring new employees. In this series of articles, we will discuss many of the issues that commonly arise when hiring new employees in Massachusetts. While searching for new employees, businesses and organizations may post advertisements for open positions requiring that applicants meet certain reasonable qualifications. However, throughout the hiring process, employers must keep in mind that they must maintain a hiring process that is non-discriminatory. Under Massachusetts law, it is unlawful to discriminate against applicants based upon their membership in a protected class. In Massachusetts, these protected classes include: race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age (over 40), gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry and military service. Individuals with disabilities are also protected under state and federal law as long as the applicant is “qualified” for the position. When engaging in the hiring process, employers must beware of the limitations imposed by state and federal law about the types of questions that can be asked during the interview process. Please follow this link for more information about permissible interview questions. In addition to adhering to anti-discrimination policies, employers must also be cognizant of policies regarding pre-employment testing and background checks. Many of these hiring tools are only available at certain stages of the hiring process, or to employers in certain types of industries. For more information about the legal rules governing the hiring process in Massachusetts, please contact an experienced employment attorney in our office and we would be happy to assist you. For more information, please contact us at 781-930-3127. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.No Fields Found.
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Qualified Individuals with Disabilities are Entitled to Reasonable Accommodations at Work
In our last article, we discussed certain protections disabled individuals are entitled to in the hiring process. As we mentioned, under both federal and state law an employer cannot refuse to hire a qualified person who is disabled so long as the person is capable of performing the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations. But what does it mean to be a “qualified individual” or require a “reasonable accommodation”? These are legal terms of art that we will explain in greater detail below. Qualification: In order to be protected under federal and state discrimination laws in an employment context, a person with a disability/handicap must be “qualified” for the position they are applying for. This means that an applicant must be capable of performing the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations. Job descriptions often contain information about which functions an employer deems essential, which can help applicants determine which positions they might be qualified for. In determining which functions of a job are essential, and which are merely marginal, an employer might consider: The main objective of the position. If there are other employees who can perform some of the duties. If the function is highly technical or specialized. The amount of on-the-job training associated with the function. What is a Reasonable Accommodation? A reasonable accommodation can be any accommodation that helps an applicant or employee fulfill the job requirements without imposing an undue hardship on the employer. If an applicant needs an accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position there are several different types of accommodations that may be available to them: 1. A change in the physical workspace. Examples: installing ramps, changing the lighting, adding heat or air conditioning, etc. 2. Modification of the job requirements. Example: assigning non-essential tasks to another employee. 3. Allowing the employee to perform a task in a different way. Examples: standing instead of sitting, use of a computer instead of handwriting, etc. 4. Adapting the schedule. Examples: part-time schedule, frequent breaks, late start, etc. It is important to note that job applicants do not have to disclose a disability or history of disability to an employer. However, in order to receive a reasonable accommodation, disclosure and documentation of the disability are often necessary. If you have specific questions about employment law or disability discrimination in the hiring process, please contact us for further information. For more information, please contact us at 781-930-3127. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.No Fields Found.
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Educational Benefits Outweigh Costs to Private Placements
A recent article in Cape Cod Today reported that, among all Cape Cod school districts, 237 students with special needs had been placed in private placements during the last school year at a cost to taxpayers of $19 Million. As is regrettably common when the costs of educating our most severely disabled children are highlighted, this article elicited comments from readers suggesting that these children are merely being “warehoused” and that they derive no educational benefit from these placements. Nothing could be further from the truth. As an attorney whose practice frequently involves advocating for specialized placements for children with significant special needs, I can attest to the benefits that flow to these youngsters, not only academically but socially and emotionally as well. Critics of private placements overlook the reality that children are not placed outside of their local school district simply upon their parents’ request. A child’s entitlement to a private placement comes into effect only upon a finding that his local school cannot provide appropriate services to allow him to make meaningful progress in the area of his disability. In other words, a child does not get a private placement unless his local school is unable to meet his needs. No parent derives pleasure from having his or her child spending hours on a bus in traffic every day traveling to a private school, which is what many of my young clients must do. It is safe to say that, in a perfect world, all of these students would be educated in their home town in their local school alongside friends from their neighborhood. The reality is, however, that there is an abundance of significantly disabled children who have needs that their local school districts cannot serve, or choose not to serve, even though it would often be more cost effective to create more intensive programs within the District. Faced with no alternatives, these children have the absolute right to attend a private school elsewhere, one where they have the same opportunity to learn or to read or to simply gain life skills that will enhance their ability to live a productive life. The cost to society of not providing this type of critical education to our most needy and deserving students is staggering – both monetarily and morally – and dwarfs the $19 Million spent on Cape Cod last year. Written by Jeff Sankey For more information, please contact us at 781-930-3127. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.No Fields Found.
Read MoreParents Have the Right to Observe Their Child’s Special Education Program
What rights do parents have to observe their child in school? When you as a parent have concerns about your child’s performance, a classroom observation can provide important information about your child’s program. If you believe your child’s educational placement or program is inappropriate, parents can observe the classroom themselves or they can hire an expert or educational specialist to visit the classroom. In cases where the parents are considering filing a request for a due process hearing before the Bureau of Special Education Appeals (“BSEA”), an evaluation by an expert is almost always necessary. Without an observation by an expert, it is very difficult to prevail in a due process hearing before the BSEA. For instance, in a 2007 case before the BSEA, the hearing officer gave “little weight” to a parents’ expert who did not observe the student. If you wish to file a request for a due process hearing with the BSEA, an observation is an extremely important step in the process. What Rights Do Parents and Their Experts Have to Observe? In 2009 the Massachusetts legislature enacted a law strengthening the rights of parents and their evaluators to observe their child in school. The law requires that upon request, parents and parent-designated evaluators must be provided timely access to observe a child’s current program and any future program proposed for the child, including both academic and non-academic components of any program. This means that an observation can include gym class, art class and other specials in addition to academic classes like Mathematics and English Language Arts. All of these classes together make up your child’s educational program so it may be important to see your child in all of these classes to get a complete picture of his or her school day. While the law does not specify a certain amount of time for an observation, it must be of “sufficient duration and extent” to enable a parent or expert to evaluate the child’s performance in the classroom. For further clarification on this point, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (“DESE”) issued an advisory stating that the complexities of the student’s needs as well as the programs to be observed should determine the scope and length of the observation. The DESE made clear that school districts should avoid rigid adherence to defined time limits that do not take into account the student’s needs and the settings to be observed. In fact, in another case before the BSEA, a school district had a policy stating that no parent was allowed to visit the classroom for more than 1 hour per month. When this policy was challenged by a parent who sought a longer observation of her child, the hearing officer found that the District’s policy failed to take into account the student’s needs and the settings to be observed. As a result, the hearing officer permitted the parent to conduct an observation that was much longer and more continuous than the 1 hour per month policy set by the District. Limitations
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