Alright, summer’s over, and it’s time to get back to class! The bell just rang on a couple of special education cases from the Fifth Circuit, and let me tell you, they’re dishing out some serious lessons that even Mr. Belding would appreciate. These two cases, both involving the same Mississippi school district, remind us of a golden rule: if a student’s not making progress, it’s time to call a timeout—or in our case, an ARD committee meeting—to rethink the game plan. 

1. The Moore-Watson Case: Reading, ‘Riting, and Redo’s

This case – Moore-Watson v. Rankin Cnty. Pub. Sch. Dist. – is a classic Bayside mix-up, starring a student with dyslexia. Picture this: a kindergartener with some serious reading troubles, but the parents aren’t clued in. The school keeps trying different things—reading interventions, speech services—but the student’s still struggling, like Jessie Spano trying to ace a chemistry test without studying. 

The school’s reading teacher thinks everything’s cool, but a private tutor sees what’s really up: the student has dyslexia. The parents get a private evaluation, and whaddya know, it confirms the tutor’s hunch. But when the parents bring this new information to the school, the district just says, “Nah, we’re good.” The student ends up failing second grade, and the school’s solution is to just keep doing the same thing. Talk about a time-out! 

The court found the school’s approach was a total fail. Here’s the lowdown: 

• No Individualized Plan: The student’s speech-only IEP was a bust. It didn’t address his dyslexia, even though it was the root of his academic woes. It’s like trying to get Screech to be a jock—it’s just not gonna work! 

• Parent Involvement is Key: The school didn’t loop the parents in on a crucial screening result and didn’t even consider their request for a new evaluation after they provided new information. The parents are on the team, not just spectators. 

• No Progress, No Changes: The biggest lesson here? The student was failing second grade, but the school didn’t even consider making changes to his IEP. If a student’s not making progress, you can’t just run the same play over and over again. You have to change the game plan. 

2. The Boone Case: All Aboard the A-Train to Failure

Next up, we have Boone v. Rankin Cnty. Pub. Sch. Dist., where a student with autism was placed at a private day school. The student was like a lost puppy in a big city—not making much progress and having some serious behavioral issues, including running off (eloping) and physical aggression. As the student was getting older, the school wanted to send him back to his neighborhood middle school, which the parent thought was a terrible idea. 

The parent brought up some other options, but the district’s special education director—who wasn’t even on the IEP team—had already made up her mind. The district’s message was basically, “This is our decision, take it or leave it. If you don’t like it, you can file a complaint.” That’s a total Slater-style power play, but this one didn’t work. 

The court once again gave a failing grade. Here’s why: 

• Lack of Individualization: The transition plan didn’t even mention the student’s running-off behavior, even though it was a major problem. You can’t just ignore a student’s core needs. 

• Predetermination is a No-No: The court got really upset about the school’s “my way or the highway” attitude. The decision was made by an administrator who wasn’t part of the IEP team, and they didn’t seriously consider the parent’s concerns or other placement options. This is a huge legal mistake. 

• Progress Report: F: The student had actually gone backward academically and behaviorally, but the school still didn’t propose any new evaluations or different programming to get him on track. When a student regresses, it’s a red flag that the current plan isn’t working. 

Lessons Learned: What Would the Bayside Crew Do? 

So, how do we avoid these fumbles and score a touchdown for our students? 

1. Individualization is Everything! 

Just like Lisa Turtle’s unique fashion choices, every student’s IEP must be tailored to their specific needs. In the Moore-Watson case, the school dropped the ball by not addressing the student’s dyslexia. In Boone, they missed a crucial opportunity to address the student’s eloping behaviors in his transition plan. 

2. Progress is the Goal, Not Just Participation. 

The IDEA isn’t just about showing up to class—it’s about making progress. If a student is failing, like the student in the Moore-Watson case, or regressing, like the student in the Boone case, that’s a clear signal that something’s wrong with the IEP. A good team would see this and call for a new evaluation or a major overhaul of the plan. 

3. Don’t Predetermine a Placement. 

And finally, you can’t just make a decision behind closed doors and expect parents to go along with it. The IEP team needs to have an open conversation about all the options and concerns raised by the parent. In the Boone case, the court saw right through the district’s canned response and said that relying on a decision made by an outside administrator was a total violation. 

Got some tricky situations at your school? Don’t let your team get a D+! Reach out to our Special Education Team for support, and let’s make sure all our students get the F.A.P.E. they deserve. Now get to class!  

*Gemini (AI) put a Saved by the Bell spin on our blog post today! To read the original version of this blog post, click here.