Case Study #1

Client

Male, elementary school student enrolled in regular education at public school.

Situation

At a very public daytime event in Washington DC the student was shot in his head as an innocent bystander.  Because of this injury he began to require special education services.  Despite the very high profile case, the parent was unable to receive the appropriate services from the school system.

Resolution

Parent was referred to the Law Office of Donovan Anderson. Within 45 days after parent retained the firm the firm was able to file a suit against the school system and to have the student placed in the private school that provided him the educational services he now required.

Case Study #2

Client

Male, special-needs first-grade student enrolled in regular classes at public charter school.

Situation

First-grade student suspected of having a disability and attending a Charter School was advised by the School that he could not return because of his behavior.  Parent retained the services of the Law Office of Donovan Anderson to get the student back in school.

Resolution

Donovan Anderson wrote a letter to the Principal of the Charter School and the school's attorney.  Within that same day Donovan Anderson receive a response from the school's attorney allowing the student to return to the school the following day.

Case Study #3

Client

Male, high school student in special education classes at public school.

Situation

Student was expelled from DCPS for behavioral infractions. Parent retained the services of Donovan Anderson.

Resolution

Mr. Anderson was able to have the suspension reduced to 10 days and the student was allowed to return to school. Generally a special education student can only be suspended for 10 school days per year. If the student carries a weapon to school, is caught with drugs in school or a school related event or if the student inflicts serious bodily injury upon another person while at school or at a school function the student can be sent immediately to another school. However the student's IEP must be implemented by the school during the period of his long term suspension or expulsion. In short with the exception of 10 school days per year the special education student's IEP must be implemented at all times.

Case Study #4

Client

Male, high school student with disabilty enrolled in public school.

Situation

Guardian of a 19 your old autistic student was counseled by the school staff to withdraw the student from school. Legally, students who are already indentified as special education are allowed to stay in school through their twenty-first birthday to complete their studies.

The guardian attempted to re-enroll the student back in school. The school refused to enroll the student.

Resolution

The firm of of Donovan Anderson P.C. was retained.  Donovan Anderson wrote a letter to the school's Principal and the student was allowed to re-enroll back in school. The firm subsequently filed a complaint against the school because its autism program at the school was not appropriate for the student.

DCPS agreed to settle the case and placed the student in a private program for students with autism.