Who Let the Dogs In? Service dogs may not be there to eat your students’ homework, but their presence in the classroom can raise important legal questions for schools. In this episode, Erin and Jeremy dig into how service animals support students with disabilities and what the law requires of districts under both the IDEA and the ADA. They explore a case out of Minnesota where the court found a district wasn’t obligated to provide a handler for a student’s service dog because the support wasn’t necessary to provide FAPE. Tune in for practical tips on how service animals fit into IEP planning, and what schools can and can’t require when accommodating a student’s use of a service animal.

Thanks to all our listeners for another great season! With over 7,500 downloads and no cease-and-desist letters over our pop culture references, we’re calling Season 3 a win! We hope your summer includes some well-earned rest, a little recharging, and maybe even time to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. We’ll be back in August with more cases and (probably) more references we still don’t have clearance for.

When a student with a disability is suspended from bus service, does the district have to provide an alternative way to get them to school? In this episode, Erin and Jeremy examine what IDEA and 504 really require when it comes to student transportation and what happens when behavior gets in the way. They evaluate a case out of Maine where a district’s decision to move a student to specialized transportation was challenged as overly restrictive. They also review practical tips for administrators to help determine whether the IDEA’s discipline rules apply, when to treat a transportation suspension as a change of placement, and how to ensure LRE considerations are factored into transportation decisions.

Want to learn more about this topic? Be sure to check out this Season One episode!

Thanks to all our listeners for another great season! With over 7,500 downloads and no cease-and-desist letters over our pop culture references, we’re calling Season 3 a win! We hope your summer includes some well-earned rest, a little recharging, and maybe even time to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. We’ll be back in August with more cases and (probably) more references we still don’t have clearance for.

Prior Written Notices are designed to ensure parents are fully informed and able to participate meaningfully in decisions about their child’s education. In this episode, Erin and Jeremy examine a case from New Mexico in which a district’s inconsistent and insufficient notices resulted in a finding of noncompliance and a denial of FAPE. They discuss the legal requirements surrounding PWNs, the consequences of failing to meet those standards, and offer practical guidance for drafting notices that are both timely and substantively adequate.

Thanks to all our listeners for another great season! With over 7,500 downloads and no cease-and-desist letters over our pop culture references, we’re calling Season 3 a win! We hope your summer includes some well-earned rest, a little recharging, and maybe even time to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. We’ll be back in August with more cases and (probably) more references we still don’t have clearance for.

In this episode, Erin and Jeremy explore how Section 504’s protections and its many paths for complaints intersect with team dynamics, professional boundaries, and the risk of retaliation. They review a recent case out of Florida where a school employee’s advocacy for a disabled student led to a demotion and a lawsuit that survived a motion to dismiss. With changes to OCR and tensions rising, they provide practical tips on how administrators can create space for staff concerns without letting personal politics derail the process. As Taylor Swift and Florence Welch put it in Florida, “What a crash, what a rush,” but the team has to figure out how to avoid driving off the road.

Looking for more information on 504? Be sure to check out these past episodes:

On the Call: OCR Complaints & Records Requests

On the Call: When the 504 Plan Falls Short

Thanks to all our listeners for another great season! With over 7,500 downloads and no cease-and-desist letters over our pop culture references, we’re calling Season 3 a win! We hope your summer includes some well-earned rest, a little recharging, and maybe even time to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. We’ll be back in August with more cases and (probably) more references we still don’t have clearance for.

They say practice makes perfect! But is that true when it comes to repeating IEP goals? In this episode, Erin and Jeremy discuss a case out of Washington, D.C., where parents sued their local school district over an IEP that included several goals repeated from the prior year. Was this a denial of FAPE, or a reflection of the student’s continuing needs? Tune in as they break down what IDEA requires for IEP goals, and when it might be appropriate for a district to repeat them.

Thanks to all our listeners for another great season! With over 7,500 downloads and no cease-and-desist letters over our pop culture references, we’re calling Season 3 a win! We hope your summer includes some well-earned rest, a little recharging, and maybe even time to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. We’ll be back in August with more cases and (probably) more references we still don’t have clearance for.

When does a child who graduates with a regular diploma and a 3.4 g.p.a. not receive FAPE? When assistive technology and other accommodations serve as a workaround for fundamental skills that the child is capable of acquiring. In this episode, Jeremy and Erin examine a Tennessee case where a school district was ordered to provide over 800 hours of compensatory education to a recent high school graduate with dyslexia. The student used AT to complete writing assignments and never learned to read and write. Tune in as they break down when accommodations are supporting learning versus when they simply mask a need that could be appropriately met with specially designed instruction.

For more on Assistive Technology, be sure to check out this past episode.

Thanks to all our listeners for another great season! With over 7,500 downloads and no cease-and-desist letters over our pop culture references, we’re calling Season 3 a win! We hope your summer includes some well-earned rest, a little recharging, and maybe even time to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. We’ll be back in August with more cases and (probably) more references we still don’t have clearance for.

Every parent wants the best for their child, but the IDEA doesn't guarantee a specific outcome in education. In this episode, Jeremy and Erin unpack a Maryland case where a student with dyslexia and ADHD was ruled ineligible for special education under IDEA based on his academic performance. The court maintained that his performance was still “average” for his grade level. They break down what legally qualifies as a disability under IDEA, and offer strategies for resolving conflicts between parental concerns and IEP team decisions.

Thanks to all our listeners for another great season! With over 7,500 downloads and no cease-and-desist letters over our pop culture references, we’re calling Season 3 a win! We hope your summer includes some well-earned rest, a little recharging, and maybe even time to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. We’ll be back in August with more cases and (probably) more references we still don’t have clearance for.

When it comes to a school district’s responsibility to provide FAPE, summer vacation doesn’t hit pause. In this episode, Jeremy and Erin examine a case from Oregon, where a district’s denial of Extended School Year (ESY) services led to a FAPE violation due to the IEP team’s failure to follow district and state policies. They break down the key ESY requirements, how eligibility determinations vary across states, and practical strategies to help districts navigate ESY decisions effectively—ensuring compliance and avoiding costly missteps.

Thanks to all our listeners for another great season! With over 7,500 downloads and no cease-and-desist letters over our pop culture references, we’re calling Season 3 a win! We hope your summer includes some well-earned rest, a little recharging, and maybe even time to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. We’ll be back in August with more cases and (probably) more references we still don’t have clearance for.