Special Education

Since 1969, education law services have been a significant part of our practice. In fact, we have earned a national reputation as one of the country’s leading education law firms. Currently, we represent more than 90 school districts and boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) throughout Colorado. Our clients include small-, medium- and large-sized districts, located on the eastern plains, the western slope, the San Luis Valley and metro Denver.

Special Education Practice:

Our attorneys have significant expertise in representing clients in due process hearings, federal complaint proceedings, mediations and proceedings before the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. We counsel school districts on the interpretation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans With Disabilities Act as they relate to students in the public schools. Our attorneys advise clients on a wide range of issues involving students with disabilities including: discipline, schools of choice, charter schools, No Child Left Behind Act, IEP development, placement, transition services and record-keeping. Members of the special education practice group routinely provide professional development trainings and lecture to professional colleagues and school district personnel on a variety of subjects.

Representative Clients:

Adams County School District No. 1
Aurora Public Schools
Boulder Valley School District RE-2
Centennial BOCES
Douglas County School District RE-1
Elizabeth School District C-1
Jefferson County School District No. R-1
Kiowa School District No. C-2
Montrose County School District RE-1J
Pikes Peak BOCES
Platte Canyon School District No. 1
San Luis Valley BOCES
Sheridan School District No. 2
Thompson School District R2-J
Weld County Reorganized School District RE-8 (Fort Lupton)
Weld County School District RE-4 (Windsor)

Our value-added services:

To help our special education clients stay knowledgeable and proactive regarding new laws, pending regulations, compliance standards and other emerging issues that could have potential impact, we offer a number of value-added informational services. As a client, you receive the benefits of our perspective and legal analysis with:

Periodic alerts, sending news by electronic mail on breaking developments in special education law.
Events, professional development trainings. Topics include:

Developing defensible IEPs.
Developing programs for students with autism.
Discipline of special education students.
Evaluation and eligibility issues.
Maintenance and destruction of special education records.
Placement/LRE Issues.
Preparing for due process hearings.
Section 504.
Serving students with disabilities in out-of-district or private placements.
Special education students in choice/charter schools.
Transition services.