Parents will demonstrate at the (belated) training session for OAH judges at USD

When: MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008

At: 4:00 P.M.

Where: University of San Diego

We'll meet at the west entrance of USD, on West Marian Way in Linda Vista

Contact: Dayon Higgins

Telephone: 858-538-9743


The Office of Administrative Hearing Judges are scheduled to attend training courses at University of San Diego campus for the entire upcoming week of March 10th though March 14, 2008.


Parents of Children With Disabilities Will Be Demonstrating Against the California Department of Education Contract With The Office of Administrative Hearing Judges “OAH”.



Concerns

Lack of oversight and fairness, decisions are biased and disproportionably skewed in favor of the school districts. School districts with their high paid attorneys win over 90% of the administrative hearing cases with the new OAH”s officers against parents with student with disabilities. With the former California Department of Education contract with the Special Education hearing officers “SEHO” at Mc George School of Law, parents won 50% percent of the time.


Lack of legislative oversight and transparency has been lacking with gaps in OAH’s reports regarding their activities.


Lacks of training as required by federal law, OAH judges do not have any formal training in special education law and handle mostly other unrelated cases.


OAH switched to a more expensive mediation system whereby mediators are regular or pro term judges. Under the new contract parents must be attorneys or hire attorneys. Previously, under SEHO administrators were trained professionals, in many cases educators who were committed to the special education mediation process.


Parents are requesting legislative intervention and an audit by The California State Senate. Without the Senate intervention thousand of special education students will be displaced and their parents will continue to incur astronomical costs with very little chance of success.