The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider a case that will set the national standard for the education of students with disabilities.
At issue is the level of benefit that school districts are required to provide. The court will consider the question of whether school districts receiving federal funds must offer an education with “meaningful benefit” or merely make an effort to educate children with “some benefit” under the IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
The case, Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District RE-1 (No. 15-827), involves a Colorado student with autism. Court papers show that behavior problems in elementary school interfered with the boy’s ability to learn. Nevertheless, the school district offered the same basic IEP each succeeding year. The parents moved their son to a private school and sought reimbursement from the district, which was denied.
The boy’s parents’ effort to get funding was rejected by a hearing officer and two lower courts. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit ruled the public school district need only offer an education that is “more than de minimis.”
Lawyers for the boy will argue that the educational standard of IDEA is interpreted differently from one school district to the next, and that a national standard is needed. Lawyers for the school district will argue that the difference between “some” benefits and “meaningful” benefits is semantic and not substantive.
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