The 2017 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly concluded at midnight, June 7, 2017, without accomplishing its most important task (passing a budget). As such, the General Assembly will eventually have to convene a “special session.” In the meantime, our legislature did pass several bills that will affect Connecticut schools. Among other things, the…
Attorneys Michael P. McKeon, Mark J. Sommaruga and Melinda B. Kaufmann of Pullman & Comley’s School Law Practice presented at the firm’s semi-annual Special Education Legal Issues Forum on May 5, 2017, at the offices of the Connecticut Association of Schools (“CAS”). Our firm is proud to be a partner with CAS. The May 5th program…
We had written earlier about the proposed bills that the General Assembly’s Education Committee voted favorably on and advanced out of committee at its March 8, 2017 meeting. The Committee subsequently voted favorably on a bevy of bills. The following is summary of these bills. STATE AID, GRANTS AND COST SHARING: It goes without saying…
In a unanimous decision, the United States Supreme Court held that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) requires school districts to provide special education students with “an educational program reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.” While the Court made clear that this is…
Pullman & Comley’s School Law Practice will host its third annual statewide School Law Seminar, “Learning Together: Recent Developments in the Law and Practical Solutions for Connecticut’s Public Schools” on March 3, 2017. This half-day program will cover trends in collective bargaining, student expulsions, special education, recent developments regarding school district job applications and other hot topics facing…
On January 11, 2017, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, a case likely to change the landscape of special education by redefining the level of education that is owed special education students under the IDEIA. The case involves an autistic child who is referred to…
On October 22, 2016, the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (“OSEP”), via its latest informal guidance/opinion letter (“Letter to Carroll”), once again addressed whether, once a school district’s evaluation is complete and the parents communicate a desire for a child to be assessed in an area in which they have not previously…
On March 18, 2015, the General Assembly’s Education Committee voted favorably on and advanced out of committee the following proposed bills: H.B. No. 6974 (RAISED) AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP TASK FORCE CONCERNING THE CREATION OF A DIRECTOR OF READING INITIATIVES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. This bill would create a…
Pullman & Comley School Law attorneys Michael McKeon, Mark Sommaruga and Susan Scott will present a forum for special education directors and administrators reviewing legal developments and trends including: settlement agreements, Section 504, Common Core and “Smarter Balanced” Tests-opt outs and other impacts, and review, revisions and updates to IEP Forms. Tuesday, April 21, 2015…
Pullman & Comley School Law attorneys Michael P. McKeon, Mark J. Sommaruga, and Susan L. Scott discussed recent, noteworthy court and hearing officer decisions in the area of special education, as well as reviewed trends and best practices pertaining to manifestation determinations, private placements, independent evaluations and common PPT conundrums at Pullman & Comley’s Fall…
