Stamford 24-0108

Complaint Summary

Date:

October 20, 2023

Case Number:

24-0108

Grade Level:

High school

Person filing complaint:

Parent

School District:

Stamford Public Schools (Single student)

Allegation(s):

  • The claimant alleged that the District revised the Student’s individualized education program (IEP) by recommending the removal of direct reading comprehension support delivered during an extended day from the IEP without justification (34 CFR § 300.324(b)(1)(i)-(ii)(A); 34 CFR § 300.324(b)(1)(ii)((D)-(E)).
  • The claimant alleged that the District failed to provide prior written notice of a revision to the Student's IEP (34 CFR § 300.503 and RCSA §10-76d-8).

Conclusion(s):

  • The District violated the IDEA when the Student’s PPT revised the Student’s IEP without a basis such as evaluation data or Student’s performance data on the Student's reading goals. The Student had not mastered the reading goals as of the meeting. Additionally, the team’s recommendation to discontinue the IEP reading instruction, while noted in the recommendation section of the IEP, albeit with an error in the timeframe, is not reflected in the IEP service grid.
  • The District failed to provide adequate prior written notice to the Parents of the recommendation to revise the IEP by removing the extended day reading instruction. The notice provided to the Parents fails to describe the revision to the IEP. It is not enough to include in the notice that the proposal is to “revise the IEP”; the notice must include a description of the action proposed, an explanation of why and a description of each piece of data the proposal is based on. The notice provided to the Parents included none of these essential components.

Corrective Action(s):

  • At the next PPT meeting, the team must review its recommendation to remove the extended day reading instruction from the Student’s IEP. The team must base any decision to revise the Student’s IEP on evaluation data and/or Student’s performance. The Parents must be provided prior written notice that meets IDEA requirements.
  • The District must review with high school PPT meeting chairs the IDEA’s prior written notice requirements. This office must be provided a list of trainers and participants.