Norris v. Massachusetts Department of Education

529 F. Supp. 759, 2 Educ. L. Rep. 659, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16840
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedOctober 9, 1981
DocketCiv. A. 80-1527-S(M)
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 529 F. Supp. 759 (Norris v. Massachusetts Department of Education) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Norris v. Massachusetts Department of Education, 529 F. Supp. 759, 2 Educ. L. Rep. 659, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16840 (D. Mass. 1981).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

FRANK J. MURRAY, Senior District Judge.

This complaint for judicial review is brought by members of the School Committee of the City of Melrose (Committee) *755 against the defendants Massachusetts Department of Education (Department), and John and Jane Doe (parents of Joseph Doe), pursuant to the “Education of the Handicapped Act”, 20 U.S.C. § 1401 et seq., and concerns the educational needs of Joseph Doe. 1

All parties agree that Joseph is a handicapped child, “having specific learning disabilities, who because of those impairments need[s] special education and related services”. 45 C.F.R. § 121a.5 (1980). See generally 20 U.S.C. §§ 1401-20 (providing federal aid for education of handicapped); Mass.Gen.Laws Ann. ch. 71B (West Supp. 1981) (providing for education of children with special needs).

Judicial review is sought by the Committee of the findings and decision by the Department’s Bureau of Special Education Appeals (Bureau), rendered June 12, 1980. 20 U.S.C. § 1415(e). As appears in. the complaint and record, a hearing was held before a hearing officer of the Bureau as a result of the parents’ rejection of the Committee’s individualized education program (IEP), see 20 U.S.C. § 1401(19), proposed for Joseph for the school year 1979-80. The hearing officer found that the IEP for the school year 1979-80 was inadequate and inappropriate to meet Joseph’s special needs, and that the educational program outlined for Joseph for 1980-81 by the Committee was also inadequate and inappropriate, and ordered that in the school year 1980-81 Joseph be placed in Landmark School, a private day school, at the expense of the Committee. The Committee was further ordered to reimburse the parents for the expense they had incurred to obtain an independent educational evaluation of Joseph on or about December 4, 1979.

The Committee, claiming to be aggrieved by the findings and decision, seeks by this complaint for judicial review to have the court set aside the decision. The case came on to be heard by the court on July 8, 1981 on the records of the administrative proceedings before the Bureau, 2 as supplemented by additional documentary evidence submitted by the Committee and assented to by the defendants, namely, the “Hearing Officer’s Manual”. The issues were submitted by the parties on their written briefs and oral arguments. Because judicial review has been invoked under the federal procedure and standards provided by 20 U.S.C. § 1415, the court will disregard any arguments and contentions of the parties founded upon inconsistent state review provisions. See Burlington v. Dept. Educ. of The Comm. of Mass., 655 F.2d 428 at 431-432 (1st Cir. 1981).

*756 I

The court first addresses the contention of the Committee that neither the proposed educational program outlined for Joseph for 1980-81 nor any evidence concerning it was properly before the hearing officer. See Plaintiffs’ Memorandum filed November 14, 1980, at 20-22. The argument based on this contention is that any findings or orders of the hearing officer relating to the 1980-81 school year are unsupported by the administrative record.

The record is clear that the Committee and the parents agreed, with certain reservations, that the 1980-81 educational program for Joseph would be dealt with prospectively at the hearing. 3 The parties and the hearing officer recognized that the lateness of the hearing in the 1979-80 school year would result in a waste of everyone’s time and would not serve Joseph’s best interests if the hearing was limited merely to the 1979-80 IEP. In accordance with the understanding of the parties, the hearing officer proceeded to receive a tentative draft of a plan for 1980-81 (Ex. SII-10), and oral testimony. The Committee called as witnesses at the hearing on May 12, 1980 seven teachers in the Melrose schools, including Carolyn Buckley, the Learning Disabilities Supervisor. Each had taught Joseph during his schooling, each had participated in implementing the educational program for the school year 1979-80, and each gave testimony concerning Joseph’s educational needs. In the testimony, including the cross-examination by parents’ counsel, the witnesses were examined concerning recommendations as to the teaching and classroom programs which should be pursued in the school year 1980-81 in their respective educational subjects. Tr. II, 5— 72.

After the decision was rendered, no steps were taken by the Committee to have the hearing reopened, pursuant to provisions of the Hearing Officer’s Manual, 4 nor did the Committee seek to offer additional evidence to this court, pursuant to 20 U.S.C. § 1415(e)(2), concerning the educational plan for the school year 1980-81. The Committee had ample opportunity following the issuance of the findings and decision on June 12, 1980 to have invoked one or both procedures seeking to present additional available evidence which might warrant a change of any recommendations made by witnesses called by the Committee. The Committee apparently was satisfied to submit and argue its case for the 1980-81 year in detail on the record before the hearing officer, as shown by its brief submitted May 23, 1980. (Ex. SII — 14). The court rejects the argument that the Committee was not afforded the opportunity to present evidence of proposed modification of the tentative draft or testimonial outline (see Plaintiffs’ Memorandum, supra at 21), and rules that the evidence presented to the hearing officer concerning the 1980-81 school year is properly part of the record before this court.

*757 II

The court makes the following findings of fact based upon the preponderance of the evidence in the records of the administrative proceedings before the Bureau (supplemented as above described), and in consideration of the briefs and arguments of the parties.

A

The named plaintiffs, members of the School Committee of Melrose, constitute the official board which is charged with the responsibility of administering the public schools of the City of Melrose, and which is the local educational agency that receives assistance under 20 U.S.C. §§ 1411 — 1420 (Subchapter II, “Education of the Handicapped Act”) for education of handicapped children.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
529 F. Supp. 759, 2 Educ. L. Rep. 659, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16840, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/norris-v-massachusetts-department-of-education-mad-1981.