Special Education
Children with disabilities have a guaranteed right to receive an education that meets their unique needs.
Parents of children with disabilities need help navigating the legal complexities of the special education system. We work to ensure that children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. All children with disabilities must be in an educational setting that allows them to make meaningful progress based on their particular circumstances.
$3.4M
in ongoing yearly education benefits secured last year
Services
Our lawyers collaborate with parents to ensure students receive the educational services to which they are entitled through consultation and representation at impartial hearings, appeals, and court actions. We address the following issues:
- Assessing the adequacy of a child’s Individual Education Program (IEP), appropriateness of school placement, and need for paraprofessionals, tutoring, or related services, including occupation therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy
- Obtaining assistive technology
- Enabling children who would otherwise regress to be in a 12-month program (as opposed to the usual 10-month school year)
- Obtaining placement in private schools, when necessary
- Obtaining independent educational evaluations, thereby allowing parents to have their child evaluated by a professional who is not affiliated with the Department of Education
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Help us provide free legal help to children and their parents.
NYLAG protects and advances the rights of New Yorkers.
Gothamist: NYC Receives $38 Million Funding Boost for Lawyers Litigating Special Education Lawsuits
NYLAG’s Danielle Tarantolo spoke to Gothamist about the New York City Department of Education’s efforts to get additional funding for staff to handle cases brought by families of students with disabilities. NYLAG’s class action lawsuit against the City over delays in adjudicating such cases has brought attention to DOE’s inadequate resources.
“Attacking the Concept of Debt”
In this Harvard Magazine article, NYLAG’s Jessica Ranucci proclaims explicitly prospective litigation is needed to overcome the litigation challenges in the for-profit college industry.
Federal Student Loans During the Coronavirus Epidemic
The CARES Act signed into law provides significant relief to student loan borrowers who have Direct Loans or FFEL Loans that are held by the government. Here’s an overview of the relief provided.
