The U.S. Supreme Court last week asked the Obama administration for its views on whether it should take up a case involving an interpretation of federal special education law.
A Pennsylvania district, joined by several school groups, is asking the high court to interpret an aspect of the “stay put” provision of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. That provision means a child stays in his or her current educational placement during administrative and legal proceedings over a disputed education plan, with a public school district often footing the bill during lengthy proceedings.
The question in Ridley School District v. D.R. is whether the stay-put requirement ends when a state or federal trial court issues a final judgment in a dispute, or whether the provision continues until all court appeals are exhausted.
