The U.S. Supreme Court last week declined to hear an appeal by the guardian of a Texas student in a dispute with the Conroe, Texas, school district under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
The student, identified in court papers as Shelby S., suffers from a serious nervous disorder. After being home-schooled for several years, her grandmother and guardian, identified as Kathleen T., asked the district that Shelby be enrolled in a regular classroom, which she was with the approval of her doctor in the fall of 2002. But a dispute later arose over her individualized educational program.
The justices’ denial of the appeal without comment on Jan. 8 lets stand a decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, in New Orleans. The appeal was Shelby v. Conroe Independent School District (Case No. 06-438).