Forte Law Group focuses on special education law and empowering parents to advocate for their child’s rights.
Forte Law Group prides itself on being “advocacy and solution-focused first, litigation second” when engaging with a local school district on behalf of new client. Our goal is to obtain the most ambitiously appropriate educational program for your child, whether in district or out-of-district, that is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of your child and is supported by comprehensive evaluations.
Autism
Secured private outplacement at public school expense through due process, mediation, and/or settlement with school districts for students with Autism.
Obtained private educational outplacement and transportation for middle school student with high functioning Autism after district improperly responded to parent’s IEE requests. Student did not attend school for over 6 months prior to Forte Law Group legal representation.
Advocated for and obtained independent functional behavioral assessment for student with low functioning autism that presents with severe behavioral challenges. Secured one on one paraprofessional support and transportation bus aide within a private school setting.
Secured out of state residential placement at public school expense for student with low functioning autism after parents were initially only offered day-based private outplacement.
Due Process Litigation
Secured private outplacement at public school expense with attorney fees for a district’s child find violation regarding a middle school female student missing over sixty days of school with obsessive compulsive disorder and suicidal ideation that was previously denied an IEP.
Dyslexia/SLD
Secured private outplacement at public school expense through mediation for numerous students that were either failed to be identified with dyslexia or failed to be provided with an appropriate reading and literacy program within their local school district.
Independent Educational Evaluations
Obtained assistive technology, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech and language evaluations and related services for a severely disabled elementary school student that was not provided with any related services on the student’s IEP. Related services where then provided on site at student’s private school at public school expense due to public school district’s lack of fidelity in providing related services within public school district.
Obtained multiple IEEs for numerous students that were not provided with a comprehensive district evaluation.
Initial Eligibility
Secured an IEP for middle school student previously denied eligibility for special education services that has mild ADHD and GAD. Student now has positive behavioral support plan in place along with social skills counseling.
Retained by families that were denied initial eligibility multiple times, eventually securing private outplacement at public school expense for child find violations.
Juvenile Defense
Prevented the arrest and arraignment of an impressionable fourteen-year boy with behavioral and intellectual disabilities for posting alleged threats on social media to other classmates by presenting evidence to the police that other students tricked the boy into offering friendship if he posted the provided statements online.
Least Restrictive Environment/Reverse Outplacement Defense
Protected the rights of a kindergarten student by receiving an education in the least restrictive environment with the public-school setting. School district sought to privately outplace the student against the parents’ consent for behavioral challenges relating to ADD and ADHD at private school over one hour away from the student’s local school district. Advocated and secured an appropriate IEP within the public-school setting with proper supports and related services as well private summer school paid for at district expense.
Legal Counseling
After being retained by parents to conduct a comprehensive record review, successfully empowered parents to obtain independent evaluations at school district expense for their elementary school child that has severe ADHD, GAD and below grade math and literacy skills. Developed a SMART IEP that provide supported related services in place along with ESY based on results of IEEs.
Manifestation Determination Review Defense
Secured private outplacement at public school expense for a student with major depressive disorder that was previously denied an IEP in violation of child find that was involved in a physical altercation with numerous students off school grounds.
Outback Wilderness Program
After filing for due process to contest the outcome of a manifestation determination review PPT, successfully settled lawsuit to include an out of state outback wilderness summer program for a high school student with ODD along with several months of private psychology therapy paid for by the student’s local school district.
Private Outplacement at Public School Expense
Secured private educational outplacement at a therapeutic school for high school student with major depression, GAD and school refusal. Prior to representation, student was receiving home bound tutoring services by local public-school district for over six months without any emotional or psychological school-based counseling.
After being provided with home schooling by the district for more than seven months for a student with major depression, GAD and school refusal tendencies, FLG secured educational outplacement at a private therapeutic school.
Residential Placement at Public School Expense
Secured out of state residential placement for a high school student with RAD at a specialized residential therapeutic school for students with RAD. Student was in the DCF and foster care system for more than fifteen years prior to FLG securing the proper therapeutic residential placement for the student’s needs in order to thrive with the student’s new adoption parents in the home-based setting.
Within two months of legal representation, secured private residential educational outplacement for a high school student with ADD, ADHD, ODD. Prior to legal representation, student was being provided home bound tutoring by the local school district.
Suspension & Expulsion Acquittal
Defended a middle school student on frivolous juvenile delinquency charges where student was arrested on school grounds and facing expulsion. After FLG legal representation was retained, student was found to be diagnosed with major depression, oppositional defiance disorder and emotional disturbance. After student was determined eligible for special education, behavior was determined to be a manifestation of the student’s disability and was not expelled. Student was properly evaluated, placed on an IEP with supportive related services and is now an A student thriving within the general education classroom setting with resource room support and school counseling.
Transition Services
Secured 5th year educational programming and related services for a senior high school student on an IEP for LD that the district was otherwise going to graduate.
Obtained an independent transition evaluation for a high school student with LD in order to secure 5th year educational programming.
Secured an independent transition assessment for a high school student with ASD and reimbursement for a privately funded neuropsychological evaluation.
*Results will vary case-by-case based on the facts and circumstances presented in child’s each case.