Connecticut State Department of Education

Final Decision and Order Case #26-0379

April 6, 2026

Student1 v. West Hartford Board of Education

Appearing on behalf of Student:
Student’s Parent, Pro Se

Appearing on behalf of the Board of Education:
Attorney Peter J. Maher
Shipman & Goodwin LLP
One Constitution Plaza
Hartford, CT 06103-1919

Appearing before:
Janis C. Jerman
Hearing Officer

Final Decision and Order

Student’s Parent filed a Request for Due Process Hearing dated January 13, 20262  pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act3 (IDEA). The Board of Education (BOE) received the Request for Hearing on January 22. The undersigned Hearing Officer was appointed to this case on January 30. The 30-day resolution period ends February 21 and the deadline to mail the final decision and order is April 7.

At the February 10 telephonic prehearing conference, Student’s Mother and Carolyn Burman from Bridge Family center appeared on behalf of Student and Attorney Maher appeared on behalf of BOE. The following issues are identified:

  1. Did the Board of Education fail to offer Student with a free appropriate public education for the 2025-26 school year by:
    1. recommending that Student be placed in the STRIVE program; and/or
    2. failing to adequately consider or implement appropriate supports and accommodations for Student?
  2. If the answer to Issue One is affirmative, what shall be the remedy?

BOE’s Attorney argued that the Request for Hearing does not contain sufficient information to allow BOE to defend Issue 1(b) and requested that the issue be limited to 1(a). BOE did not challenge the sufficiency of the Request for Hearing within fifteen days of receipt so the Request for Hearing was deemed sufficient.4

Hearing was scheduled for March 24 via Zoom videoconference.

The parties participated in a resolution meeting. On March 13, BOE’s Attorney requested postponement of the hearing to allow the parties to reduce a settlement agreement to writing. After fully considering the parties’ positions, the request was granted.

On March 30, BOE’s Attorney indicated that the parties executed a settlement agreement. The Hearing Officer asked Student’s Mother to confirm the settlement and notified her that, given the deadline to mail the final decision and order, the case will be dismissed on April 2 if she does not respond. Student’s Mother did not respond.

Final Decision and Order

The above-captioned case is dismissed.

  1. In order to comply with the confidentiality requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g (“FERPA”) and related regulations at 34 CFR § 99, this decision uses “Student,” “Parents,” and titles of certain school staff members and witnesses in place of names and other personally-identifiable information.
  2. All dates are 2026 unless otherwise indicated.
  3. 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.
  4. 34 C.F.R. § 300.508(d)