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The Board recognizes that District parents/guardians with disabilities must, upon written request to the Building Principal be afforded an opportunity equal to that afforded other parents to participate in school-initiated activities designed for parental involvement and directly related to their child's academic and/or disciplinary progress (e.g., parent-teacher conferences and/or meetings with other District personnel).

If the District is unable to accommodate a proposed parental request, the District will explain the reasons it believes that such denial or an alternative plan is equally effective in ensuring parental access to the school activities described above.

Appeal Procedures

If, in the judgment of the parents, the District's proposal proves unsuitable, or fails to satisfy the parents' request for accommodation, the channel for parental appeal of District action/inaction on this matter will be as follows:

1. informal conference with the Superintendent or his/her designee and other appropriate personnel;

2. filing of appeal form with District office;

3. formal conference with and action by the Superintendent;

4. if not resolved at this level, an opportunity to present their complaint to the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting;

5. the decision of the Board, in which the Board explains the reasons it believes that such denial or alternative plan is equally effective in ensuring parental access to the school activities described above; and

6. an explanation of the process by which the parents may appeal the Board's decision to the Commissioner of Education (pursuant to Section 310 of the Education Law).

Cross Ref:  1925, Interpreters for Hearing Impaired Parents

Ref: Rehabilitation Act of 1973, §504; 29 USCA §79434 CFR §104

Education Law §310

Rothschild v. Grottenthaler, 907 F2d 286 (2nd Cir., 1990)

Rothschild v. Grottenthaler, 716 F Supp 796 (SDNY, 1989)

Adoption date:  December 1, 1995

Reviewed date: June 12, 2006

Amended date: November 23, 2015

Amended date: February 13, 2017