Special Education Law Firm in Monterey, CA
Education Attorney in Monterey, California
If you are the parent or guardian of a special needs child, you should know that your child and your family have certain rights, and those rights need to be protected. Our firm specializes in education law. You can read on to find out how we can help you evaluate unique education options, resolve problems with individual educators, administrators, or entire school districts, and ensure that you can prepare your child for success in life with the excellent education he or she deserves.
The question remains: why choose an education attorney in Monterey, CA? The answer is simple. Education attorneys focus explicitly on providing special needs children and their parents with the resources, guidance, and representation they need to advocate for their children and ensure that their rights are respected.
Children can’t advocate for themselves, so they need their parents’ help, and unfortunately, school districts don’t always make things easy for the parents of special needs children. Continue reading to discover how our firm’s background in education law and experience with helping other families can help you make sure your child has access to all the resources they need to get a good education.
Get the Legal Help You Need to Protect Your Child’s Rights
In 2004, the federal government passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This law was written and passed to ensure that all children have access to the educational resources required to enroll in further education, seek employment, and live independent lives as adults, including children with major or minor special needs.
Solutions for Special Needs Kids
Special Education Lawyers can help parents navigate the complexities of today’s special education landscape. Children have plenty of options, including the creation of individualized education programs (IEPs) and 504 plans. These solutions were designed and implemented to help children like yours get the extra attention they need from educators to maximize their success chances.
Enrolling in an IEP with an IEP Attorney
Unfortunately, school districts don’t always make it easy for parents to learn about these options and pursue viable solutions independently, and Monterey is no exception. That’s where an IEP lawyer comes in. A special education attorney can help you request assessments or IEP eligibility meetings, prepare for these eligibility meetings and the annual reviews required to keep your children enrolled, and even advocate for your children at these meetings. Just keep in mind that you’re required to notify the school district before the IEP meeting occurs if you plan to bring along an IEP attorney. We can help you draft the notification letter, as well.
504 Plans
Not every student with special needs requires specialized instruction. Some children can benefit from being enrolled in standard classes with other students. When this is the case, a 504 plan can be established to ensure that the student has access to appropriate learning environments and receives accommodations to safeguard their academic success. If you’re concerned that your student isn’t getting the attention or accommodations they need, we can help you draft a 504 plan to document the student’s accessibility requirements. We can also help you update this plan annually to reflect changing circumstances.
Resolve Disputes with the School District
Do you feel that your child has had their rights violated by one or more of the district’s educators or administrators? If so, the best course of action is to file a formal complaint. We can help you draft and file compliance complaints if the school district fails to offer the required services or an OCR complaint if your child’s civil rights have been violated. We can also help obtain school records, educational documents, and case reviews to support your case.
If you have a dispute with the school district that needs to be resolved, it’s vital to have an attorney with litigation experience. Our attorneys have plenty of experience with everything from mediation and due process hearings to courtroom representation and filing appeals. If you have no choice but to take the school district to court, we’ll be by your side, providing legal guidance and representation every step of the way.
Signs It’s Time to Hire an Education Lawyer
Not sure whether you need an education Lawyer? If you’re on the fence, chances are you can benefit from our services. We help children with diagnosed special needs and learning disabilities, including ADD, ADHD, and dyslexia, so if your child has one of these problems and is not enrolled in an IEP or protected by a 504 plan, you should get in touch with us.
If your child is already receiving accommodations, but the school just isn’t doing enough to address his or her unique needs, we can help with that, too. You shouldn’t have to spend your own money on independent tutoring because the school is allowing your child to fall behind academically. The district is legally obligated to provide special needs children with the accommodations required to ensure academic success.
Finally, if you believe your child is facing discrimination by teachers, administrators, peers, or other adults within the education system, we can help. No student should feel uncomfortable or unsafe at school. Our attorneys have years of experience helping clients who are facing bullying or discrimination due to their disabilities, so they know just what it takes to get your child the justice they deserve.
How We Can Help
We provide a full range of education law services to Monterey, CA, students, and families, including:
- Filing requests for school records
- Filing requests for services or evaluations
- IEP meeting assistance
- IEP meeting advocacy
- Preparation for annual reviews
- Representation during legal mediations
- Preparation and representation during due process hearings
- Filing complaints with state agencies
- Courtroom representation
- Appeals filing
- Fair hearing representation
- Compliance and OCR complaints
- Reimbursement requests