Manifestation Determination Reviews (MDRs) Under IDEA: Modern Standards, Process, Data Bases, Expedited Hearings, Caselaw Examples

Not uncommonly, impartial hearing officers under IDEA will be called upon to hear cases challenging schools’ manifestation determination reviews (MDRs) and associated disciplinary placements. This session reviews the full gamut of the MDR requirement, from its origin to its modern iteration, to the details of performing the review, associated issues of FBAs and BIPs, special offenses situations, complications with additional diagnoses provided by parents, failures to implement IEPs, the expedited hearing process, entertaining challenges to local disciplinary findings, and pre-eligibility MDRs, among others. Caselaw examples will illustrate the nuances of hearing MDR challenges in real life.