It’s well known that the IDEA requires students to be educated with nondisabled peers, to the “maximum extent appropriate.” But how exactly should your IEP teams determine the “maximum extent appropriate?” Join school attorney Alefia Mithaiwala, Esq. in this insightful session, where she’ll demystify the LRE requirements, uncover common challenges that arise when moving students to more restrictive settings, and share strategies for avoiding legal pitfalls. You’ll gain key insights through real-world case studies, including a case successfully litigated by Attorney Mithaiwala, to strengthen your team’s ability to make informed, defensible placement decisions. During this session, you’ll:
- Gain clarity on the IDEA’s LRE requirements and how your team should apply them to create legally sound IEPs
- Learn key insights from case studies that highlight successful navigation of the LRE continuum
- Walk away with practical strategies for defending your district’s FAPE offers when challenged
Who Should Attend?
- Directors of Special Education / Special Services
- Supervisors of Special Education / Special Services
- District Leadership
Meet your host
Alefia E. Mithaiwala represents school districts and educational agencies in all matters, including administrative trials, federal appeals, resolution meetings, expulsion hearings, mediations, and responses to Office of Civil Rights complaints, Department of Education compliance complaints, and Uniform complaints. She practices preventative law by consulting and training school staff on various IDEA, discipline, ADA, and Section 504 matters, and was instrumental in creating Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo’s Section 504 and ADA Procedures Manual. Ms. Mithaiwala has over 15 years of diverse experience in the field of education and education law. She received her Masters of Education degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Education in 2002, with an emphasis on special education policy. In 2003, she worked with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, to draft regulations for the 2004 amendments to IDEA.
