February 2, 2024: The Law Offices of Hirji & Chau, LLP., is pleased to announce that Alex Rodriguez has become a partner of the firm. Mr. Rodriguez’s practice includes special education, civil rights, and personal injury matters on behalf of children, youth and adults with disabilities. He focuses on public entity negligence, representing youth who are bullied, enforcing due process rights of students, …
LOHC is Thrilled to Welcome Elizabeth Gillett!
It is our pleasure to introduce our newest team member, Elizabeth Gillett. Elizabeth has recently earned her Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. She is a valuable contribution to the team given her extensive background as an educator working with special education students of all ages. She is excited to work alongside students and families advocating for them in …
California Department of Education finds Los Angeles Unified School District out of Compliance with Special Education Law
On June 7, 2021 the California Department of Education (“CDE”) ruled on a complaint filed by Disability Rights California (“DRC”) that alleged that Los Angeles Unified School District (“LAUSD”) failed to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDE found, among other things, that LAUSD was not conducting special education assessments or holding individualized …
LAUSD Registration Deadline for Online Option is July 30, 2021
Los Angeles Unified School District (“LAUSD”) is scheduled to open schools for in person learning this fall. However, an online option will be available for families with medical, social-emotional, or other concerns, as well as students receiving special education. Students will receive daily live online instruction for part of the day and complete independent work during the remaining time. The …
REQUESTING COMPENSATORY SERVICES
July 31, 2020 If your child did not receive their IEP related services, you can seek compensatory education. Here is sample language to use for a written request. To [Insert name of administrator of IEP] During the time period that my child was at home as a result of school closures, he/she was denied a free and appropriate education because …
Students of Color and Students with Disabilities are Disproportionately Disciplined
UCLA Civil Rights Project’s Center for Civil Rights Remedies released a report titled, Is California Doing Enough to Close the School Discipline Gap?, a seven year trend analysis of school discipline rates in California. It goes without saying that students who are suspended miss instructional days, causing those students to fall behind. The report found that a troubling “discipline gap” …
Advocacy Issues Related to COVID-19
[La versión en español está a continuación de este mensaje] Dear special education community, We hope that you are staying indoors and are well. We understand that this time is especially difficult for you and are committed to your welfare. As you are aware, we are dealing with unprecedented issues in special education law and advocacy as a result of the …
New Faces in the LOHC Offices!
Congratulations to Lauren Fairbanks, Jasmin Stewart, and Robert D. Skeels on their new positions at The Law Offices of Hirji & Chau, LLP! Lauren (Associate Attorney) is passionate about protecting the rights of people with disabilities. She graduated from Tulane University in 2015. After that, she earned her Juris Doctor at the USC Gould School of Law. Lauren earned her …
Blocking Parent Experts from School Observation is Against the Law
In 2005, Long Beach Unified denied access to a private evaluator to observe a proposed placement for a student with Autism. Bonnie Z. Yates took the matter before the California Court of Appeals and won the seminal and often cited Benjamin G. case, that established the right of experts to observe prior to a due process hearing. Almost 14 years …
Adulthood Transition: Graduation and Curriculum
By Diana Maltz, Esq What is the difference between a diploma and a certificate of completion? A high school diploma certifies that your child has met state and school mandated graduation requirements. A certificate of completion certifies that your child has completed high school, but did not meet graduation requirements. Many students with IEPs receive certificates rather than diplomas. This …