At Sankey, Meinelt & Fisher, LLP, we are passionate about ensuring that Massachusetts special education children get the legal services that they need to succeed. We are equally passionate about ensuring that employees have a workplace where they can work productively, free of discrimination and harassment.
We are committed to serving your legal needs - whether that means helping your family overcome struggles in school law matters, or helping you if you've suffered discrimination at work. We are here to help you through whatever legal crisis you are confronting now, and to provide you with guidance to prevent future problems.
We are committed to serving your legal needs - whether that means helping your family overcome struggles in school law matters, or helping you if you've suffered discrimination at work. We are here to help you through whatever legal crisis you are confronting now, and to provide you with guidance to prevent future problems.
Services
Sankey Law Offices is a general practice AV=Preeminent rated* law firm dedicated to serving the legal needs of individuals and families. Our typical client is often someone who never thought that he or she would need a lawyer. But when the unexpected happens - whether it be losing a job or suffering sexual harassment at work, or needing help for a child to obtain special education services at school - we are here to help.
Children with disabilities are entitled to special education services under both federal and state laws. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ("IDEA") is a federal law that requires states and public agencies to provide early intervention, special education and related services to children with disabilities.
Stay Put Rights is a special education term that describes one of the fundamental procedural protections available to students with disabilities under the IDEA and Massachusetts law.
Essentially, when a student's parents and the school district disagree about a student's services or placement, the student is entitled to remain in the last educational program accepted by the parents while dispute resolution proceedings unfold or until another program is accepted by the parents.
Essentially, when a student's parents and the school district disagree about a student's services or placement, the student is entitled to remain in the last educational program accepted by the parents while dispute resolution proceedings unfold or until another program is accepted by the parents.
After the IEP team meets to consider a child's educational needs, the team will write an Individualized Education Programs ("IEP") that specifies what services the child will receive and where the services will be delivered. In essence, an IEP is a binding contract in which the school district agrees to provide specific services to the student.
Once your child is found eligible for special education services, all important decisions about his services and placement will be made by an IEP team. For all parents, and especially those new to the special education arena, the IEP team meeting process can be confusing and overwhelming.
It is often intimidating and upsetting to sit in a meeting with strangers to discuss your child's disability, especially when they all seem to understand the process better than you do.To advocate effectively for your child, it is critical that you understand your child's educational rights, as well as your rights as members of the team.
It is often intimidating and upsetting to sit in a meeting with strangers to discuss your child's disability, especially when they all seem to understand the process better than you do.To advocate effectively for your child, it is critical that you understand your child's educational rights, as well as your rights as members of the team.
