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By the time you decide to hire a special education attorney, the stakes are high. You are frustrated with the school and worried about your child. Not only can retaining the wrong lawyer waste your time and money, it can permanently damage your child's education. So how do you choose the right law firm?
Massachusetts law (Chapter 71B: Section 1C) requires each school district to conduct, in cooperation with the local parent advisory council, at least one workshop annually within the school district on the rights of students and their parents and guardians under the special education laws of the commonwealth and the federal government and shall make written materials explaining such rights available upon request.
On October 26, 2010 the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali issued a "Dear Colleague" letter to educators throughout the country. The purpose of the letter is to remind school officials that "some student misconduct that falls under a school's anti-bullying policy may also trigger responsibilities under one or more of the federal antidiscrimination laws enforced by the Department's Office of Civil Rights (OCR)."
Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 71 § 37O) now requires that your child's IEP team consider and address the skills and proficiencies your child needs to avoid and respond to bullying.
On August 3, 2010 Governor Patrick signed the bill , "An Act Relative to Insurance Coverage for Autism" (HB 4935), into law. The law mandates broader insurance coverage of diagnostic tests, medical treatment, and services for children and adults with autism. The law will go into effect on January 1, 2011.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) recently released its state-by-state IDEA compliance findings for the 2008-2009 school year. For the fourth consecutive year, Massachusetts has not met the IDEA Part B (children 3 - 21) requirements. Read the complete report here. In addition, OSEP determined that Massachusetts is so far behind its IDEA Part C requirements (birth - 3) that federal intervention is necessary.
Wong & Boscarine LLC
P: (857) 529-8494
F: (617) 334-7306
info@wongboscarine.com
Cambridge Office
One Mifflin Place, Suite 400
Cambridge, MA 02138
Topsfield Office
15 Morningside Drive
Topsfield, MA 01983
