N.K., et al. v. New York City Department of Education, et al.

District Court, S.D. New York·Decided July 24, 2026·No. 1:25-cv-07782·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK N.K., ET AL., 25-cv-7782 (JGK) Plaintiffs, Memorandum - Against - Opinion and Order NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, ET AL., Defendants.

JOHN G. KOELTL, District Judge: The plaintiffs, N.K. and O.P., individually and as parents and legal guardians of N.P., a nine-year-old student, bring this action against the New York City Department of Education (“DOE”), the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of New York, Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ra- mos, in her official capacity, and the City of New York. See Am. Compl. J 1— 2, 41-60, ECF No. 5. The plaintiffs assert claims under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. “TDEA”); its implementing regulations, 34 C.F.R. pt. 300 et_seq.; Section 504 of the Re- habilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 794 et seq. (“Section 504”); 42 U.S.C. § 1983; and New York State law. Id. 4] 121-69. The plaintiffs challenge portions of an Impartial Hearing Officer’s (“IHO”) December 18, 2024 Findings of Fact and Decision (“FOFD”) and the subsequent decision of the State Review Officer (“SRO”), and allege that the DOE failed to implement N.P.’s pendency place- ment. Id. 9] 20-24.

The defendants move to dismiss the amended complaint pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6), arguing that the plain- tiffs failed to exhaust their administrative remedies and failed to state a plausible claim. See ECF No. 16. For the reasons stated below, the defend- ants’ motion is granted. I. A. Congress enacted the IDEA to ensure that students with disabilities re- ceive an education that adequately addresses their specific needs. See Forest Grove Sch. Dist. v. T.A., 557 U.S. 230, 239 (2009). The IDEA provides that “Ts|tates receiving federal funds [must] provide all children with disabilities with a FAPE,”! that is, a “Free Appropriate Public Education,” which in- cludes “special education and related services tailored to meet the unique needs of a particular child.” Mr. P v. W. Hartford Bd. of Educ., 885 F.3d 735, 741 (2d Cir. 2018) (citing 20 U.S.C. §§ 1401(9), 1412(a)(1)(A)). New York’s IDEA regulations closely track the IDEA statute. See P.C. v. Rye City Sch. Dist., 232 F. Supp. 3d 394, 408 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); see also N.Y. Educ. Law §§ 4401 to 4410-b. In New York, Individualized Education Pro- grams (“IEPs”) that outline how a FAPE will be provided are formulated annually by a local Committee on Special Education (“CSE”), consisting of school board representatives, educators, clinicians, and parents. N.Y. Educ.

1 Unless otherwise noted, this Memorandum Opinion and Order omits all in- ternal alterations, citations, footnotes, and quotation marks in quoted text.

Law § 4402; see also Hardison v. Bd. of Educ., 773 F.3d 372, 376 (2d Cir. 2014). In formulating IEPs, the CSE must evaluate the student’s educational status and areas of need to determine the appropriate educational program. N.Y. Educ. Law § 4402; R.E. v. N.Y.C. Dep’t of Educ., 694 F.3d 167, 175 (2d Cir. 2012). Through the IEP, the CSE outlines the student’s goals for the up- coming school year and makes recommendations designed to help the student achieve those goals and make educational progress. 20 U.S.C. § 1414(d). “A school district meets its obligations to provide a FAPE by creating an [EP that is developed in compliance with the IDEA’s procedural and substantive requirements.” N.B. v. N.Y.C. Dep’t of Educ., 711 F. App’x 29, 32 (2d Cir. 2017) (summary order). It is important to note that “[w]hat the statute guar- antees is an appropriate education, not one that provides everything that might be thought desirable by loving parents.” Walczak v. Fla. Union Free Sch. Dist., 142 F.3d 119, 132 (2d Cir. 1998). B. In addition to the FAPE framework, the “IDEA incorporates some but not all state law concerning special education.” Bay Shore Union Free Sch. Dist. v. Kain, 485 F.3d 730, 734 (2d Cir. 2007). For example, the IDEA incorporates a state special-education system for children with disabilities who are parentally placed in private schools. See 20 U.S.C. § 1412(a)(10)(A); 34 C.F.R. §§ 300.131-.139; E.T. v. Bd. of Educ., No. 11-ev-5510, 2012 WL 5936537, at *11 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 26, 2012). In New York, that plan is known as an Individualized Education Services Program

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N.K., et al. v. New York City Department of Education, et al., (S.D.N.Y. 2026).

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