SPECIAL EDUCATION / SECTION 504

Special Education in Texas is subject to very specific regulations that must be followed to remain in compliance with federal and state laws.  Various components dictate the law surrounding special education including:

• The Individuals with Disabilities Act
• The Americans with Disabilities Act
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
• State law
• Commissioner’s Rules

Attorneys of the Firm have represented school districts in hundreds of ARD and 504 meetings, as well as hundreds of special education due process hearings. See Appendix for List of Representative Cases.  Our attorneys have defended school districts in matters of student discrimination and harassment complaints filed with or pursued by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (DOJ). Additionally, the Firm has experience successfully litigating IDEA, Section 504 and disability-related claims before Special Education Hearings Examiners and before federal courts.

We work with our clients to identify emerging disagreements and develop an appropriate response to resolve issues before they become a formal dispute.  This serves to avoid potential conflicts, but also positions the client to successfully defend their program should the matter go to hearing.  Where litigation is unavoidable, our attorneys are skilled and experienced in achieving a successful outcome in court and preserving that outcome on appeal.