LRP's National Institute May 5 - 8, 2024 Savannah, GA
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Enhance your special education law training with Institute Symposiums


Take a closer look at the major issues you face as a special educator and learn the best strategies to handle each situation while avoiding compliance missteps. In these extended-length Symposiums, nationally recognized experts will explore your biggest concerns, bringing you the case law, research and tools to make a positive impact on your students, your special education programs and your community.

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Morning Symposiums | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. ($495 each)

PRE1 | Student Mental Health: How Instagram and Anxiety Tell a Special (Education) Story

What’s the next step beyond a crisis? Whatever it is, that’s where we are with mental health. As data pours in from a variety of sources and perspectives — including the U.S. Surgeon General — on the impact of social media use and mental health, it’s clear mental health implications are present in nearly every aspect of education: academics, attendance, extracurricular activities, discipline, and social interactions inside and outside of school. Attorneys Karen Haase and Bobby Truhe will examine a school’s legal obligations to identify and serve students with mental health challenges. They will analyze pertinent decisions and guidance to ensure you come away with best practices to manage student threats, discipline issues, and First Amendment challenges. Don't miss this symposium to discover what mental health services a school can, should, or must provide to students in need.

Karen Haase

Karen Haase

Attorney, KSB School Law, PC, LLO, Lincoln, Neb.

Bobby Truhe

Bobby Truhe

Attorney, KSB School Law, PC, LLO, Lincoln, Neb.

PRE2 | Keys to Successful Progress Monitoring, Reporting Under Endrew F.

IEP teams depend on accurate progress monitoring data to develop appropriately ambitious programs for students with disabilities. IEP teams that skip or skimp on these critical steps can easily end up facing a unilateral placement or sizable compensatory education award. This means school personnel need a solid understanding of the type and amount of data to record, as well as their duty to provide periodic progress reports. Attorney Kendra Yoch will explore this often-underappreciated component of FAPE and show attendees the power of effective progress monitoring. She'll highlight common missteps using case law and real progress reports. You'll take away strategies and practice pointers for developing robust progress reports that will help demonstrate the provision of FAPE under the standard the Supreme Court set forth in Endrew F.

Kendra Yoch

Kendra Yoch

Attorney, Thompson & Horton LLP, Dallas, Texas

PRE3 | Section 504: Show Me

Join Anne Bradley and Betsey Helfrich, two attorneys from the "Show Me State," for a fun and engaging presentation examining the Section 504 process. From mock 504 scenarios on referrals to 504 meetings and communications with parents, this not-to-be-missed presentation will be chock-full of real-world examples and compliance tips. These 504 veterans will show you how to handle your trickiest Section 504 situations. Most importantly, they'll break down any new 504 regulations and what practices and procedures to revise at your school.

Anne Bradley

Anne Bradley

Attorney, Section 504 Solutions, L.L.C, Overland Park, Kan.

Betsey Helfrich

Betsey Helfrich

Attorney, The Law Office of Betsey Helfrich, Washington, Mo.

Afternoon Symposiums | 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. ($495 each)

PRE4 | The Process of Due Process

The thought of participating in a due process hearing can be daunting for school and district-level administrators alike, especially if they're relatively new to special education. Attorney Marcy Gutierrez will discuss the “ins and outs” of due process, starting from the initial steps to take when you receive a complaint, to what you can do to try to resolve it, and to how to put yourself in the best position for a hearing. You will leave this comprehensive session for nonattorneys with a due process toolkit, plus valuable documentation and recordkeeping tips to help minimize a district's potential liability for IDEA violations and boost overall compliance. Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind training opportunity!

Marcy Gutierrez

Marcy Gutierrez

Attorney, Gutierrez, Perry & Villarreal, LLP, Sacramento, Calif.

PRE5 | Managing High-Conflict IEP Meetings

High-conflict situations frequently arise in IEP meetings, and most school staff lack the knowledge and experience to navigate them. IEP teams can become anxious when families bring along advocates or attorneys, or if unexpected requests arise. Attorney Robin Day and former Special Education Director Kelly Raf have developed proven systems that will help your team diffuse conflict and ensure legally compliant IEP meetings. They know the more prepared a team is for responding to contentious situations, the better the outcomes for all parties involved. This presentation will focus on practical strategies to address common points of conflict before, during, and after IEP meetings. The presenters will highlight key legal guidance regarding permissible pre-meeting activities and best practices for post-meeting follow-up. Leave this symposium with a notebook full of practices designed to increase confidence and skills of school staff, improve compliance, encourage collaboration with families, and reduce due process and mediation requests.

Robin Day

Robin Day

Special Legal Counsel, Beaverton School District, West Linn, Ore.

Kelly Raf

Kelly Raf

Special Education Administrator and School Psychologist, Hillsboro School District, Hillsboro, Ore.

PRE6 | Special Education’s Role in Addressing Dangerous School Situations

Whether it’s emergency drills, compliance with evolving laws related to violence prevention and response, or ongoing safety training, educators often ask: “Where does special education ‘fit’ in this legal, medical, educational, sociological, and psychological crossroads?” Attorneys Denise Hays and Paula Roalson will navigate requirements arising from a complex web of federal and state laws and review recent cases to directly address the school’s responsibilities in dangerous situations posed by students with disabilities. After identifying the three theories of liability correlating to this serious topic, they'll pass on legally defensible strategies to address students victimized by school violence and those who are feared to engage in future dangerous situations. You'll leave this symposium with practical guidance and responsive measures required under the IDEA to address threats or violent behavior.

Denise Hays

Denise Hays

Attorney, Walsh Gallegos Trevino Kyle & Robinson PC, Austin, Texas

Paula Roalson

Paula Roalson

Attorney, Walsh Gallegos Trevino Kyle & Robinson PC, Houston, Texas

Afternoon Symposiums | 1:45 - 5 p.m. ($495 each)

POST1 | Writing, Implementing Behavior-Based Goals in the Post-Covid 19 Era

Writing behavior goals can challenge the most experienced education professional, especially during this Post-COVID-19 era where social-emotional learning, restorative practices, and trauma-informed care must be considered! Taking an emotional construct and creating a clear goal that meets the criteria of being observable and measurable is a feat in and of itself. Then, the school team must determine how to implement the goal and monitor progress. In this interactive and experiential symposium by Attorney Lorie Gerkey and certified School Psychologist, School Counselor, and Registered Play Therapist Dana Holtz, you’ll review recent case law related to behavior-based goals. Then, the presenters will provide sample behavior-based goals to be dissected and evaluated for being clear, observable, measurable, individualized, and achievable. Participants should bring their most-challenging scenarios in hopes of developing behavior-based goals they can incorporate into IEPs.

Lorie Gerkey

Lorie Gerkey

Law Office of Lorie A. Gerkey, PLLC, Tucson, Ariz.

Dana Holtz

Dana Holtz, Ed.S.

RPT-S, C-AdPT, NCC, Las Vegas, Nev.

POST2 | Procedural Safeguards Under the IDEA and Implementing Regulations: What Districts Need to Understand

How many IDEA procedural safeguards can you name? Prior written notice, consent, IEEs, due process hearing procedures, and attorney fees may come to mind. With his charismatic presentation style, Attorney David Hodgins provides a thorough understanding of these issues and more to assist you with everyday compliance. His review of key IDEA regulations and legal decisions, with solid practice tips and examples, will help your district avoid and/or respond effectively to potential IDEA litigation.

David Hodgins

David Hodgins

Attorney, Thompson & Horton LLP, Houston, Texas