SPE 621 Law, Policy and Procedures for the Special Education Supervisor (3 credit)

This course is designed to provide an overview of the legal rights of students and their families in the field of special education, with particular focus on the supervisor’s role in implementing and monitoring policy and procedures in districts’ special education programs. Content covered includes an overview of laws and litigation and the current status of legislation dealing with special education. The American legal system, particularly in respect to special education, the constitutional and statutory provisions of federal and state law, and judicial decisions interpreting those laws are reviewed. This course will focus on the supervisor’s role in addressing issues of identification, IEP development and implementation, equal protection, extended school year (and day), functional behavioral analysis, teacher assistants, least restrictive environments, transition, procedural due process, complaint resolution, and substantive due process doctrines to school practices affecting students with disabilities. Additionally, attention will be given to preparation of focus audits, data collection, basic compliance issues, communicating and collaborating with parents and maintaining active parental support groups. Also, case studies will be conducted that deal with issue, rule, analysis and conclusion (IRAC), as a tool to provide a framework for supervisors to rapidly increase their understanding of emerging, complex legal issues.