Timothy O. v. Paso Robles USD, No. 14-55800 (9th Cir. 2016)
Annotate this CasePaso Robles was responsible for providing Luke, a child with autism, with a free appropriate public education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1400–1487. At the time of Luke’s initial evaluation, Paso Robles was aware that Luke displayed signs of autistic behavior, and therefore, autism was a suspected disability for which it was required to assess him. Paso Robles chose not to formally assess Luke for autism because a member of its staff opined, after an informal, unscientific observation of the child, that Luke merely had an expressive language delay, not a disorder on the autism spectrum. The court held that, in so doing, Paso Robles violated the procedural requirements of the IDEA and, as a result, was unable to design an educational plan that addressed Luke’s unique needs. Accordingly, the court held that Paso Robles denied Luke a free appropriate public education, and remanded for the determination of an appropriate remedy.
Court Description: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The panel reversed the district court’s judgment in favor of the defendant school district in an action brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The panel held that the school district violated the procedural requirements of the IDEA by failing to formally assess a student for autism, even though this was an area of suspected disability. As a result, the school district was unable to design an educational plan that addressed the student’s unique needs, and it denied him a free appropriate public education. The panel remanded for determination of an appropriate remedy.
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