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Special Education and Other Children's Issues
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The
DRC provides information, referral, and advocacy for children with disabilities
who have problems
with special
education, obtaining appropriate benefits and services, and other issues.
The DRC is frequently court appointed to represent juveniles
when the child has a disability.
The DRC provides legal representation in matters of special education, but it does not have the resources to provide legal representation to all of the people who ask for our assistance. There are few lawyers in the state who take special education cases. The DRC has a special project with the New Hampshire Bar Association to train and support lawyers who want to develop their skills in special education law. For individuals who meet the income criteria for the NH Bar Association's Pro Bono referral service, the DRC will refer individuals and provide consultation to the attorney on special education law and procedure. If you are an attorney and would like to know more about this program, contact Amy Messer, Esq., Legal Director at the DRC.
Find out if your child’s teacher is highly qualified
Know
your rights: special education information from the DRC
Special Education Due Process Hearing Requests - info from the Department of Education
Information and comparison of the 2004 changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
More Information on No Child Left Behind
More Information on Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT)
More information on Juvenile Justice issues
More information on Transition and Postsecondary Issues
Crisis in Special Education: View the October 2007 powerpoint.
last updated: April 22, 2009
The Law: Statutes, Regulations, DOE-issued Memoranda
- PL 108-446, The Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
- PL 105-17, The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (old)
- PL 107-110, The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
- The NH Department of Education has state education rules on its website
- NH RSA 169-B: Delinquent Children
- NH RSA 169-C: Child Protection Act (Abuse/Neglect)
- NH RSA 169-D: Children in Need of Services (CHINS)
- NH RSA 186-C: Special Education
- NH RSA 193-F: Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention (Bullying)
- All NH DOE-issued memoranda can be found on this DOE webpage. Scroll down to "documents"
- August 2005: Bryan M. v. Litchfield School District
- December 03: Assistive Technology Training as Important as Assistive Technology Devices, Special Education Hearing Officer Decides
- DRC Files Amicus Brief in Maroni v. Pemi-Baker Regional School District: Case decided 10-9-03
- 2-25-04: Reimbursement for Private Placement: Court Rules Against Katie C.
- Full text of 1991 James O. consent decree; and full text of 2000 Stipulation Regarding Continuation of James O. Consent Decree and Corrective Action Plan, both in PDF format
- Full text of Eric L. 1997 Settlement Agreement and 2002 Second Stipulation Modifying the Settlement Agreement
Other Places to Go For Legal Assistance
- New Hampshire Bar Association, lawyer referral program
- List of Private Attorneys who take Special Education Cases
- List of special education advocates and organizations who assist parents with special education problems
Other Resources
- Center for Law and Education
- Center for Mental Health in Schools
- Children's Alliance of New Hampshire
- The Claremont Coalition to improve the quality of education in NH
- Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education
- Council of Children and Adolescents with Chronic Health Conditions
- Council for Exceptional Children
- The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates
- Education-A-Must
- Education Equals Future
- Education Law Resource Center
- Epilepsy in Young Children, a NH website
- Family Resource Connection of the NH State Library
- Guidance on Considering the Use of Physical Restraints in New Hampshire School Settings
- Imagine, a website dedicated to supporting people who experience disabilities and exhibit, what some have called, "difficult behaviors."
- Inclusive Education Resources from the New Jersey DD Council
- The Institute for Community Inclusion has several publications about education and transition to work
- Institute on Disability
- International Dyslexia Association
- Internet Special Education Resources (for learning disabilities)
- Laurent LeClerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University
- LDOnline (learning disabilities and ADHD)
- Learning Disabilities Association of America
- National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education
- National Center on Educational Outcomes
- National Center for Learning Disabilities
- National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring, New Hampshire data
- National Dropout Prevention Center for Students With Disabilities
- National Dissemination Center for Children and Youth With Disabilities
- The New Hampshire Branch of the International Dyslexia Association
- New Hampshire Challenge
- NH Connections
- NH
Department of Education
- Special Education Hearings and Alternative Dispute Resolutions: includes information on NH options for resolving disagreements between parents and school districts concerning special education, and has hearing decisions for 2003.
- NHEdLaw, LLC - New Hampshire Special Education Legal Resources
- New Hampshire Family Voices
- New Hampshire Healthy Kids - Low Cost and Free Insurance Coverage for Uninsured Kids
- New Hampshire Partners in Health, addressing the needs of NH children with chronic health conditions
- New Hampshire Special Education Resources
- Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights
- Parent Information Center
- Parent to Parent of NH
- Project Forum: information that supports changes to special education policy and practice at the national, state and local levels
- Research and
Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health at Portland State University
- Includes National Wraparound Initiative
- SchoolMentalHealth.org
- SERESC - Southeastern Regional Education Service Center
- Transition resources
- US Department of Education
- Wrightslaw - Special Education Law and Advocacy
- Yellow Pages for Kids With Disabilities, New Hampshire
last updated: April 22, 2009
