Posts in Education Law
Statistically Significant Bias
Statistically Significant Bias

We recently had a case regarding a student who withdrew from a NEST program in order to attend a private special education school. For those who don't know, NEST is a specialized program within the Department of Education (DOE) that is specifically intended for children on the Autism spectrum. The classes are all integrated co-teaching classes, and the teachers ostensibly undergo some proprietary professional development. NEST has long been considered the Cadillac of public programs for children with Autism. 

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Special Needs Education, Education LawMarc GottliebNEST Program, Private Special Education School, Department of Education (DOE), Autism Spectrum, Tuition Reimbursement, Bullying
Unprofessional Behavior Hurts Everyone
Unprofessional Behavior Hurts Everyone

Sometimes, being professional means dealing with unprofessional people. Gottlieb & Wang only recently finished a case that was delayed by an impartial hearing officer who deferred to the DOE representative in a way that was unfair. 

The hearing was originally scheduled for one day — about a four-hour block. The hearing started off as any other hearing until the DOE representative unnecessarily prolonged the entire proceeding. Unfortunately for her case, no one could ever be able to get around the fact that her witnesses were lying, and we could prove it. 

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Disability Law, Special Needs Education, Education LawMarc GottliebUnprofessional Behavior, Unprofessional People, Bullying, Hearing Officers, DOE
Private School Spotlight: Achievement Unlocked
Private School Spotlight: Achievement Unlocked

Recently, I visited Achievement Unlocked in Brooklyn. Achievement Unlocked doesn’t limit itself to a specific type of student. Rather,  their mission is to serve kids who have failed to succeed in other school settings. Brendan Wolff is the founder of the school and I met with school director, Michele Lipman.

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Education Law, Special Needs EducationMarc GottliebAchievement Unlocked, Special Needs, Oppositional Behaviors, Socially Aggressive Behaviors, Remote Learning Program, Socio-Emotional Issues, Tuition Reimbursement Law
Private School Spotlight: Academics West
Private School Spotlight: Academics West

I recently visited Academics West in Manhattan for a tour and meeting with our friends there. AW is a small, therapeutic K-12 school that particularly focuses on kids who have failed to make progress in other, less supportive settings. A sizable plurality of the kids are behavioral, and the staff does an incredible job attending to their needs.

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Special Needs Education, Education LawMarc GottliebAcademics West (AW), Affidavit, Private School