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Abstract
Special education is the most highly litigated area within the field of education. Therefore, the purpose of the current article is to highlight cases (court decisions, Office of Civil Rights rulings, and State Educational Agency hearings) involving students with disabilities in 2015. Highlights from the case law point to the need for school districts to ensure that students with disabilities are provided free appropriate public education, ensure timely and comprehensive evaluations once a suspected disability is of concern, ensure that students with autism have access to an range of services, provide evidence in factors considered when determining placement, remove students only when they present imminent threat to self or others, and appropriately address bullying/harassment instances.
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Author Biographies
Antonis Katsiyannis is a professor of special education with Clemson University. He has published extensively in the areas of legal and policy issues, transition, and delinquency. He is serving as the president of the Council for Exceptional Children.
Jennifer Counts is a PhD student in Special Education at Clemson University. Her research interests include legal and policy issues, disproportionality in school discipline, and academic interventions for at-risk students.
Michelle Popham is a PhD student in special education at Clemson University. Her research interests include academic interventions for students with learning disabilities and legal and policy issues in special education.
Joseph Ryan is a professor of Special Education and serves as the Executive Director of Clemson LIFE (Learning is for Everyone). His research interests include behavioral interventions for students with emotional and behavior disorders.
Madeline Butzer is an undergraduate student in special education at Clemson University. Her professional and research interests include Autism Spectrum Disorders, intellectual disabilities, and adaptive sports.
