Branford 26-0436

Complaint Summary

Case Number:

  • 26-0436

Date findings report sent:

  • April 6, 2026

Person filing complaint:

  • Parent

School District:

  • Branford Public Schools

Grade Level:

  • High school

Allegation(s):

  • The Parent alleged that the District failed to provide access to support staff for counseling, extended time (50%), and an alternate setting for work completion, as written in the Student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), in Biology class during the second quarter of the 2025-2026 school year. (34 CFR §§ 300.323(c)(2) and 300.17, RCSA § 10-76d-1(a)(1))
  • The Parent alleged that at a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting on November 18, 2025, the District removed accommodations from the Student’s IEP, specifically extended time on classroom assignments, alternative location as needed, oral presentations to be monitored by a special education teacher and to be presented in an alternate and individual setting, study guides, check-ins with teacher to reset behavior or refocus in classroom, and access to the Chromebook for digital-based assignments, without discussion or documentation through Prior Written Notice (PWN). Additionally, the Parent alleges that at a PPT meeting on February 12, 2026, the District refused the Parent’s request to revise the IEP to include the previously removed accommodations but did not document the refusal through PWN. (34 CFR §§ 300.324(a)(1), 300.503(b)(7) and RCSA § 10-76d-8(a))

Conclusion(s):

  • As the Alternate setting accommodation did not include Biology, there will be no further discussion on its provision. In reference to Access to support staff, it can be inherently challenging to definitively prove the implementation of this accommodation, but District documentation provides evidence that the Student had accessed the school social worker in addition to counseling services as required per his IEP. The Extended time (50%) accommodation was revised from including “tests, quizzes, and assignments” to “assessments” at the PPT meeting on November 18, 2025. Depending upon interpretation, anything used to evaluate a Student’s progress (i.e., tests, quizzes, assignments, observations) could fall under the definition of an assessment. With that definition in mind, the Student should have been provided with extended time on all 18 items that comprised his Q2 Biology grade. Given that the Biology teacher allowed work to be submitted right until the end of the quarter, whether or not this was allowed for everyone, the District allowed extended time far surpassing 50%, and even what could reasonably be expected as marking periods closed and grades needed to be calculated. Therefore, the District is not in violation of 34 CFR §§ 300.323(c)(2) and 300.17, RCSA § 10-76d-1(a)(1).
  • On November 13, 2026, the District provided the Parent with information regarding the accommodations determined to be necessary for the Student in advance of the PPT meeting on November 18, 2025. Following that meeting, both the PPT recommendations and the PWN documented revisions to the supplementary aids/accommodations. With respect to the PPT meeting on February 12, 2026, not all of the Parent concerns were discussed, nor were they resolved. Whether additional accommodations should have been documented as refused by the District is unclear due to discrepancies between the parties’ respective accounts. Given all information reviewed, the District is not in violation of 34 CFR § 300.324(a)(1), 34 CFR § 300.503(b)(7) and RCSA § 10-76d-(a). However, recommendations will follow.

Recommendation(s):

  • The District should ensure that any revisions affecting the supplementary aids and services in a student’s IEP are explicitly discussed during PPT meetings. To enhance transparency, the District may also want to consider clearly documenting all changes made to an IEP on PWN.

Corrective Action(s):

  • None