Education Law

PA Specific

4.54

Special Education Law: The Ultimate Guide

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
New York CLE Approved 7 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 6 Total
OnDemand
5 hours 55 minutes
Nicole Snyder
Joseph Montgomery
Frederick Stanczak
Samantha Newell
Kalani Linnell Asroff
Tanya Alvarado
With Nicole D. Snyder from McKenna Snyder LLC + 5 others
Recorded February 11, 2025.
Product ID 99722

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Overview

Obtain Essential Special Education Legal Best Practices

Special education legal issues can be confusing for school personnel and attorneys alike. This hands-on legal guide will walk you through legal best practices concerning IEPs, 504 plans, manifestation determination reviews, and more. Our experienced attorney faculty will give you the information you need to provide maximum legal protections to special needs students and minimize school exposure to lawsuits. Handle special education issues with confidence - register today!

  • Apply the latest special education legal developments to your school's policies.
  • Understand when bullying of special needs students exposes schools to significant legal liabilities.
  • Ensure IEP development process documentation serves as a legal aid in case of lawsuits.
  • Handle the manifestation determination review process with confidence.
  • Analyze recent court cases to avoid potential disability discrimination complaints.
  • Properly accommodate English language learners who are also eligible for special education services.

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. Essential Special Education Legal Updates You Need to Know
  2. Bullying and Harassment: Ensuring Special Needs Students Receive Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
  3. Developing Legally Compliant IEPs That Benefit Students: With Examples
  4. 504 Plan Eligibility and Accommodation Best Practices
  5. Manifestation Determination Reviews (MDRs): Did the Disability Cause the Behavior?
  6. English Language Learners (ELLs) and Special Education: Ensuring Legal Best Practices
  7. Avoiding Disability Discrimination Complaints: Lessons From Recent Court Cases and Enforcement Actions

Related Topics

Product ID 99722

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
New York CLE Approved 7 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 6 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. Essential Special Education Legal Updates You Need to Know

  2. Bullying and Harassment: Ensuring Special Needs Students Receive Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

    1. Understanding FAPE in Different Forms: IDEA and Section 504
    2. Recognizing Harassment and Interference With Special Education Services
    3. Special Needs Students as Perpetrators: How to Handle It
    4. Documenting Responses to Bullying and Harassment

  3. Developing Legally Compliant IEPs That Benefit Students: With Examples

    1. Evaluation Best Practices
    2. Mitigating the Chance for Legal Liabilities in the Meeting
    3. Ensuring Legally Defensible Documentation for Every Decision
    4. IEP Progress Monitoring
    5. Changing the IEP: Essential Guidelines
    6. IEP Do's and Don'ts - With Examples

  4. 504 Plan Eligibility and Accommodation Best Practices

    1. 504 Plans vs. IEPs
    2. Eligibility Procedure Best Practices
      1. Should IDEA Procedures Be Used?
      2. The ADAAA and 504 Plan Eligibility
      3. The Use of Parent-Submitted Information
    3. Determining Educationally - and Legally - Appropriate Accommodations
    4. Legal Best Practices for Students Who Do Not Need Classroom Accommodations

  5. Manifestation Determination Reviews (MDRs): Did the Disability Cause the Behavior?

    1. Necessary Procedures Under the IDEA
    2. Discipline Documentation: What to Include
    3. Determining If Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs), and Discipline Documentation Align
    4. What to Do If MDR Results Are Disputed

  6. English Language Learners (ELLs) and Special Education: Ensuring Legal Best Practices

    1. Knowing When Referral Is Appropriate
    2. How ELLs Should Be Evaluated
    3. IEPs for ELLs
      1. IEP Meeting Essentials for ELLs
      2. Ensuring Language Instruction Meshes With IEP Objectives
    4. Legally Compliant School Policies for English Language and Special Education Co-Services

  7. Avoiding Disability Discrimination Complaints: Lessons From Recent Court Cases and Enforcement Actions

    1. Ensuring Equal Access to All Programs: Sports, Gifted and Talented, Etc.
    2. Technology and Accessibility, Including Websites
    3. Ensuring Modifications and Changes in Placement Are Necessary
    4. Discriminatory Suspension and Discipline Practices
    5. Inappropriate Use of Restraint and Seclusion
    6. Recognizing Racial Disparity in Special Education Programs

Who Should Attend

This basic-to-intermediate level seminar on special education law is for:

  • School Principals and Vice Principals
  • School Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents
  • School Psychologists
  • School Counselors
  • Special Education Teachers
  • General Education Teachers
  • Attorneys
  • Paralegals

Speakers

Nicole D Snyder
Nicole D.
Snyder
McKenna Snyder LLC
Joseph W Montgomery
Joseph W.
Montgomery
Montgomery Law, LLC
Frederick M Stanczak
Frederick M.
Stanczak
Law Offices of Frederick M. Stanczak
Samantha L Newell
Samantha L.
Newell
Sereni Law Group LLC
Kalani E Linnell Asroff
Kalani E.
Linnell Asroff
Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams LLP
Tanya A Alvarado
Tanya A.
Alvarado
Alvarado Law, LLC
Speaker bio
Nicole D Snyder

Nicole D. Snyder

McKenna Snyder LLC
Nicole Snyder

is the chair of the special education law practice group at McKenna Snyder LLC. She concentrates her practice in the areas of special education law, charter school law, education law, school reform and insurance defense. Ms. Snyder represents clients in a variety of matters pertaining to state and federal laws and regulations, including but not limited to IDEA and Section 504. Prior to entering private practice, she clerked for the Honorable Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Ms. Snyder has been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western districts of Pennsylvania, Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Supreme Court of New Jersey, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and the Supreme Court of Ohio. She is also a member of PBA's Legal Services for Exceptional Children Committee, and has been an invited lecturer at state and national conferences on special education and education law topics, including sessions at PBI's Exceptional Children's Conferences, Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools' conferences, Education Law Association and Lehigh University. Ms. Snyder is also a registered lobbyist. She earned her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Villanova University and her J.D. degree from Villanova University School of Law.

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Speaker bio
Joseph W Montgomery

Joseph W. Montgomery

Montgomery Law, LLC
Joseph Montgomery

is an attorney and founding member of the law firm of Montgomery Law, LLC in Philadelphia. He practices in the area of special education law. Mr. Montgomery regularly teaches and lectures on the topic of special education law to groups of parents, educators, attorneys, judges and other professionals. He earned his J.D. degree from Widener University School of Law. Mr. Montgomery is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida.

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Speaker bio
Frederick M Stanczak

Frederick M. Stanczak

Law Offices of Frederick M. Stanczak
Frederick Stanczak

is an attorney with offices located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He represents children and their families in cases arising under the IDEA, 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and other laws pertaining to the provision of public education. Mr. Stanczak also provides legal representation in guardianship and estate planning for persons with disabilities and their families. Prior to starting a private practice, he was employed by the Education Law Center in Philadelphia, where he was responsible for litigation, legislative advocacy, and working with community groups on issues affecting the education of children in Pennsylvania. He was also employed as the Litigation Director at Susquehanna Legal Services in Williamsport, PA, and at Legal Services for Central New York in Syracuse, New York, and as an Associate Professor of Law, Legal Clinic in Syracuse, New York. Mr. Stanczak earned his B.A. degree from St. Norbert College and his J.D. degree from DePaul University College of Law, Chicago.

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Speaker bio
Samantha L Newell

Samantha L. Newell

Sereni Law Group LLC
Samantha Newell

is an attorney at the Sereni Law Group LLC, where she concentrates her practice on education law and municipal law. She serves as president for the Advisory Committee for Delaware County Children and Youth Services. Ms. Newell earned her bachelor's degree from Widener University and her J.D. degree from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania. Ms. Newell is a certified elementary and special education teacher.

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Speaker bio
Kalani E Linnell Asroff

Kalani E. Linnell Asroff

Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams LLP
Kalani Linnell Asroff

is an attorney with the law firm of Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams LLP. She is an experienced education law practitioner with a keen understanding of the issues from both a legal and practical standpoint. Ms. Linnell advises clients in matters involving special education, student civil rights, and operations/practices. She is especially dedicated to the issue of Title IX compliance, both its historic regulations and the impending new directives. Ms. Linnell maintains a constant commitment to professional development by seeking opportunities to learn, grow and share through client in-service training, writing legal alerts and articles on cutting-edge topics, and presenting live continuing legal education programs and seminars. She earned her B.S.Ed degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. degree from Drexel University, Thomas R. Kline School of Law.

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Speaker bio
Tanya A Alvarado

Tanya A. Alvarado

Alvarado Law, LLC
Tanya Alvarado

is the owner and founder of Alvarado Law, LLC in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Alvardo Law, LLC is a bilingual law firm specializing in representing families in special education matters and obtaining reasonable accommodations for high stakes exams, like SAT/ACT, graduate school admissions, and licensing/certification. She has 30 years of experience, is fluent in Spanish and was born in Ecuador. Ms. Alvarado earned her B.A. degree from Cornell University and her J.D. degree from Boston University School of Law.

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