David Bateman, PhD, is a nationally recognized expert in special education dispute resolution and legal compliance. He has ten-years of experience as a due process hearing officer and complaint investigator and has since served as a second-tier hearing officer in multiple states. In addition, over the past ten years, he has worked as a mediator in seven states and one U.S. territory. Dr. Bateman is the lead author of one of the primary books on special education dispute resolution (Bateman et al., 2023) and is the co-author of one of the most widely visited blogs on special education legal issues. He restructured the special education complaint system for Guam. He is a frequent keynote speaker for not only state special education administration conferences, but also conferences for families of students with disabilities.
After the Endrew F. Supreme Court decision in 2017, Dr. Bateman developed a module for administrators on legally compliant IEPs for the U.S. Department of Education which received its “stamp of approval” as legally compliant. He also provided extensive guidance for the module developed for classroom teachers. He recently (2024) co-authored the fourth edition of the leading textbook for principals related to special education. He coauthored the leading textbook on IEP development (Yell et al., 2022), coauthored the recent special edition of TEACHING Exceptional Children on legally compliant IEPs (Yell & Bateman, 2020), and has helped rewrite and lead the trainings on new IEPs and procedures for multiple states and U.S. territories. He authored a document on how to write a 504-plan that is being used in 48 states and two territories. He was the lead author on the American Association of School Administrators policy brief Rethinking Special Education Dispute Resolution at IDEA’s 50th Anniversary. Recently, he was the neutral factfinder in the class action lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Education relating to special education services.
He is a former special education classroom teacher and building-level administrator, and the parent of two adult children—one who had an IEP in school and the other who had a Section 504 plan.
As a special educator, it is crucial to be aware of and avoid using ableist language when interacting with students, colleagues, and families. Ableist language can perpetuate harmful stereotypes, reinforce discriminatory attitudes, and create a negative and exclusionary environment. Here are some warnings and guidelines to consider: Remember, using inclusive […]
1. Know Your Rights: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that guarantees a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities. It is important for parents and educators to understand the rights and protections IDEA provides. 2. Understand the Evaluation Process: IDEA requires that […]
Acheson Hotels, LLC v. Laufer U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear a case involving the Americans with Disabilities Act in the case of Acheson Hotels, LLC v. Laufer. There is interest in this case as it might resolve the question of whether individuals who serve as “tester” plaintiffs have standing to bring […]
Richardson v. Omaha There may be an IDEA related case in front of the Supreme Court. Stay tuned to SpedLawBlog for the latest on IDEA related actions at the High Court. Given the sheer volume of cases at the Circuit Courts on attorney’s fees, it is maybe about time to […]
We at SpedLawBlog will periodically cover other aspects of education for students eligible for special education and related services that need to be addressed and considered. Given what we have gone through this past year, health data is of major importance. Many school district personnel do not have a good […]
Health Data We at SpedLawBlog will periodically cover other aspects of education for students eligible for special education and related services that need to be addressed and considered. Given what we have gone through this past year, health data is of major importance. Many school districts do not have a […]
CEC is this Week! The Council for Exceptional Children Annual International Conference. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference is virtual, so there is no reason why you should not attend. The sessions are loaded into the website, and will be available to view until the end of May. To […]
9th Circuit, McIntyre v. Eugene SD, decided September 2020 We at SPEDLAWBLOG periodically will be presenting recent cases that lay out good information for teachers, administrators and parents. This will be an occasional feature of this Blog. We will provide brief commentary on what to look for in the case […]
November 29, 2020 marks the 45th Anniversary of the signing of PL 94-142, the now titled Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA. Many do not remember 45 years ago, so therefore we here at SpedLawBlog would like to share some memories and reminders of what life was like prior […]
A Case We Are Watching at SPEDLAWBLOG Z. B. v. DC Board of Education As a service, we at SPEDLAWBLOG will follow all appeals to the US Supreme Court and work to keep our loyal readers up to date on cases that may have major input into special education law […]
New Ruling on FBA’s and IEE’s Second Circuit In the case of D.S. v. Trumbull Board of Education, issued on September 17, 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled FBAs are not evaluations or reevaluations within the meaning of the IDEA. This decision is inconsistent with […]
A special education lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York against every school district and every state department of education in the United States. The suit alleged virtual learning without in-person support denied a FAPE to students with disabilities nationwide. Some school districts across the nation, well outside of […]
SPED LAW BLOG 