# J.M. v. SUMMIT CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION

> District Court, D. New Jersey · October 27, 2020

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10269304

## Case

- **Court:** District Court, D. New Jersey
- **Decided:** October 27, 2020
- **Opinion:** 100trialcourt
- **Cited by:** 0 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10269304

## How later opinions describe it (automated extraction)

- affirming ALJ decision that no child find violation occurred when the district “address[ed] [a student’s] needs and provid[ed] appropriate instruction and interventions before rushing to special education identification”
- finding no disability when “although areas of weakness were found, [the child’s] academic skills were generally considered to be in the average range”

## Opinion text

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY

J.M. and E.M., individually and
o/b/o C.M.,
Plaintiffs,
Civ. No. 19-00159 (KM) (ESK)
v.
OPINION
SUMMIT CITY BOARD OF
EDUCATION,
Defendant.

KEVIN MCNULTY, U.S.D.J.:
J.M. and E.M. (“Parents”) are the parents of C.M., who was an
elementary-school student when the events here began. The Parents sought to
have C.M. classified as disabled and thus entitled to a free appropriate public
education (“FAPE”) based on an individualized education plan (“IEP”) under the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”), 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.
The Summit City Board of Education (“District”) determined that C.M. was not
disabled, and the Parents challenged that determination through the IDEA’s
administrative process. After the Parents provided more evaluations of C.M. to
the District, the District determined that C.M. was disabled and developed an
IEP. The Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) then upheld the District’s original
determination of non-disability and therefore did not reach the issue of the
appropriateness of the later IEP. A year later, the Parents placed C.M. in
private school.
The Parents now bring four claims before this Court. They seek (Count I)
a reversal of the ALJ’s decision affirming the District’s determination that C.M.
was not disabled; (Count II) a declaration that the District violated C.M.’s rights
under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“RA”), 29 U.S.C. § 794; (Count III) a
declaratory judgment that the District must develop an IEP for C.M. based on
the recommendations of the Parents’ experts and reimburse them for the cost
of C.M.’s private school; and (Count IV) attorney’s fees. The District moved to
dismiss Count III, either for lack of jurisdiction or failure to state a claim, and
to strike certain allegations related to Count III. (DE 55.) Subsequently, the
Parents moved for partial summary judgment on Count I and summary
judgment on Count II. (DE 70.) The District cross-moved for summary
judgment on all claims. (DE 74.)
For the following reasons, the District’s motion to dismiss Count III for
lack of jurisdiction is GRANTED, the District’s motion to strike is DENIED, the
Parents’ motion for summary judgment is DENIED, and the District’s cross-
motion for summary judgment is GRANTED.
I. BACKGROUND
A. The IDEA
The IDEA requires states receiving federal education funding, like New
Jersey, to ensure that students with disabilities receive a “free appropriate
public education that emphasizes special education and related services
designated to meet their unique needs.” 20 U.S.C. §§ 1400(d)(1)(A), 1412(a)(1);
see also Munir v. Pottsville Area Sch. Dist., 723 F.3d 423, 425–26 (3d Cir. 2013).
The IDEA first requires that school districts “identif[y], locate[], and evaluate[]”
children with disabilities. 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3)(A). If a child has a disability,
then a state satisfies its duty to provide a FAPE by providing an IEP, which is
“an educational program reasonably calculated to enable a child to make
progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.” Endrew F. ex rel.
Joseph F. v. Douglas Cnty. Sch. Dist. RE-1, 137 S. Ct. 988, 1001 (2017). If
parents are dissatisfied with the district’s determinations or IEP, they may
bring a challenge in a state administrative process and then seek review in
court. C.H. v. Cape Henlopen Sch. Dist., 606 F.3d 59, 66–67 (3d Cir. 2010).
B. Facts
C.M. was enrolled in first grade at one of the District’s schools for the
2015–2016 year. (Dist. SMF ¶ 1.)1 Shortly after the school year began, C.M.

1 Certain citations to the record are abbreviated as follows:
had a behavioral incident. (Id. ¶ 7.) C.M., the school psychologist, Dr. Angela
Paster, and his teacher, Heidi Klebaur, then developed some behavioral rules
for C.M. and agreed that C.M. would receive rewards for following those rules.
(Id. ¶¶ 11–14; Parents SMF ¶ 21.)

DE = docket entry
Am. Compl. = Amended Complaint (DE 50)
Dist. MTD Brf. = District’s Brief in Support of its Motion to Dismiss, in part,
and Strike Portions of the Complaint, in part (DE 55)
Parents MTD Opp. = Parents’ Brief in Opposition to District’s Motion to Dismiss
and Strike (DE 59)
Dist. MTD Reply = District’s Reply Brief in Further Support of its Motion to
Dismiss, in part, and Strike Portions of the Complaint, in part (DE 63)
Parents SMF = Parents’ Statement of Material Facts in Support of their Motion
for Partial Summary Judgment (DE 70-1)
Parents SJ Brf. = Parents’ Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Partial
Summary Judgment on Count I and Summary Judgment on Count II (DE 70-2)
Dist. SMF = District’s Counter Statement of Material Facts (DE 73-3)
Dist. SJ Brf. = District’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (DE 74-2)
Pet. = Parents’ Due Process Petition, J.M. v. Summit City Bd. of Educ. (May 25,
2016), Exhibit R to the District’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (DE 73-22)
ALJ Op. = Final Decision, J.M. v. Summit City Bd. of Educ., OAL Dkt. No. EDS
10588-16 (Oct. 12, 2018) (DE 70-13)
McGuffog Rep. = Dr. McGuffog’s Neuropsychological Evaluation (Oct. 2015),
Exhibit A to the District’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (DE 73-5)
Tr. A = Transcript of July 10, 2017 proceedings before the ALJ, Exhibit A to the
Parents’ Motion for Summary Judgment (DE 70-5)
Tr. B = Transcript of November 21, 2017 proceedings before the ALJ, Exhibit B
to the Parents’ Motion for Summary Judgment (DE 70-6)
Tr. D = Transcript of March 14, 2018 proceedings before the ALJ, Exhibit D to
the Parents’ Motion for Summary Judgment (DE 70-8)
Tr. E = Transcript of June 8, 2018 proceedings before the ALJ, Exhibit E to the
Parents’ Motion for Summary Judgment (DE 70-9)
Tr. F = Transcript of June 11, 2018 proceedings before the ALJ, Exhibit F to the
Parents’ Motion for Summary Judgment (DE 70-10)
Following that incident, Klebaur, Dr. Paster, and the school principal, Dr.
Lauren Banker, met with the Parents to discuss C.M.’s behavior. (Dist. SMF
¶ 15; Parents SMF ¶ 24.) The Parents told them that C.M. previously had
behavioral problems at daycare, struggled with homework, and likely had
autism and ADHD. (Dist. SMF ¶ 16; Parents SMF ¶ 24.) In response, the
District convened an Initial Intervention and Referral Services (“I&RS”) meeting.
(Dist. SMF ¶ 17; Parents SMF ¶ 32.)
Under I&RS, the District puts interventions or accommodations into
place to address a student’s difficulties. (Tr. A at 54–55.) Such interventions
are available to all students, not only those already found eligible for special
education. (Id. at 147; Tr. B at 15–16, 25–27.) The District monitors the
student’s progress and implements increasing interventions if necessary. If
those progressive interventions are unsuccessful in allowing the student to
access the general curriculum, then the student may be further evaluated for
special education. (Tr. A at 54–55.) Special education usually entails a
modification of curriculum that can also require that the student be removed
from the general education setting. (Tr. B at 16–17, 111.) For C.M., the District
implemented an incentive program, had C.M. attend a social skills group, and
provided support in reading and writing. (DE 73-7, at 1.)
The Parents provided the District with evaluations conducted by Dr.
Carolyn McGuffog, a neuropsychologist, who had met with C.M. after he had
showed behavioral problems at daycare. (Dist. SMF ¶¶ 2, 5, 19–20; Parents
SMF ¶ 9–12, 36.) Dr. McGuffog performed sixteen tests, measuring various
skills, academic abilities, and traits. (McGuffog Rep. at 3.) She concluded that
C.M. presented a “complex array of neurocognitive strengths and weaknesses
that poses a [] diagnostic challenge.” (Id. at 36.) She noted that some of his
behaviors were “suggestive” of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (“ADHD”),
but that “an ADHD diagnosis does not capture other areas of developmental
weaknesses.” (Id. at 37.) She instead “proposed” a diagnosis of social language
disorder but also noted that “[a]ll areas of deficiency” could be subsumed under
autism. (Id.) She recommended further evaluations, “behavioral supports in
school,” and “academic support in language arts.” (Id.)
The District notified the Parents that it intended to further evaluate C.M.
for a disability. (Dist. SMF ¶¶ 36–37.) The District explained that C.M. had
difficulties in reading and writing and had exhibited behavioral and social
problems, although interventions had helped. (DE 73-8, at 2.) To evaluate
C.M., the District conducted multiple assessments:
• a social assessment that relied on records, parent and teacher
interviews, and observations, showing that C.M. could mostly comply
with directions and that, while he had some behavioral incidents, they
occurred for only 5% of the schoolyear and were mitigated by the
incentive program (DE 73-19, at 4);
• a psychological assessment that relied on records, an interview with
C.M., and observations, showing that C.M. had “positive feelings
towards his family and peers, the need to control other peoples’
behaviors, and . . . difficulty keeping calm when he perceives that
other people have treated him unfairly” (DE 73-21, at 6);
• an occupational therapy assessment that relied on observations and
teacher reports, showing that C.M. could “safely negotiate his school
environment” (DE 73-20, at 1); and
• a physical therapy services assessment that relied on a physical
assessment, showing that C.M. had normal gross motor skills (DE 73-
18, at 3).
The Parents and the District met in February 2016 to discuss whether
C.M. was eligible for special education. (Dist. SMF ¶ 55; Parents SMF ¶ 219.)
The District reviewed the assessments, Dr. McGuffog’s report, other
observations,2 and records and determined that C.M. was not disabled. (DE 73-

2 The District also considered an observation report from a private psychologist
stating that C.M. had some struggles with maintaining attention in the classroom (DE
9, at 2.) The District stated that C.M.’s reading level had progressed and that,
while his writing continued to be an area of weakness, assistance had proven
successful. (Id.) The District emphasized that C.M. continued to benefit from
the I&RS interventions. (Id.) Accordingly, the District recommended that C.M.
continue to work with the I&RS team and follow their interventions. (Id.; see
also Tr. A. at 109 (Dr. Paster testifying that “[b]ecause he was making progress
in his current program and interventions were successful, . . . we didn’t feel
that specialized curriculum, specialized—special education was appropriate at
the time”); Tr. B at 52 (Dr. Banker testifying similarly).)
The Parents disagreed. (DE 73-9, at 2.)
C. The Administrative Process
To contest the District’s determination, the Parents filed a due process
petition in May 2016 with the New Jersey Department of Education. (Pet. at 1.)
They claimed that by failing to find that C.M. was disabled, the District violated
the IDEA, RA, and corresponding New Jersey law. (Id. at 18.) They thus sought
a determination that C.M. is disabled and an order directing the District to
develop an IEP based on Dr. McGuffog’s recommendations. (Id. at 2.)
While the administrative process was ongoing through 2016 and into
2017, the Parents had C.M. further evaluated by Dr. McGuffog and Alana
Fichtelberg, a speech pathologist. (DE 70-19, at 3–6.) Their evaluations showed
continued struggles in reading, writing, and behavior, and Dr. McGuffog
recommended several diagnoses, including autism, ADHD, and specific
learning disorders. (Id.) In March 2017, the District referred C.M. to an
evaluation with psychiatrist Dr. Ellen Pratt, who diagnosed C.M. with autism
and ADHD. (Id. at 2–3.) Based on these evaluations, in April 2017, the District
classified C.M. as IDEA-eligible due to autism and developed an IEP. (Id. at 13.)
In August 2017, the Parents consented to the IEP but noted their disagreement

73-14, at 1–2; Tr. A. at 142–44.) But Dr. Paster explained that many of the
observations were typical of any first grader. (Tr. A. at 142–44.)
with “the entire program as written and reserve[d] all rights under the law to
challenge the program as necessary.” (Id. at 27.)
The administrative process continued, and an ALJ held hearings through
2017 and 2018, with testimony from Dr. Paster, Dr. Banker, E.M., Fichtelberg,
Dr. McGuffog, and experts and specialists from the District. (Id. at 2–16.) The
issues presented in the hearings only related to whether C.M. was correctly
classified in February 2016. (Tr. A at 5–24.) Indeed, in the Parents’ opening
statement two months after the IEP was developed, they so confined the issues
(id. at 15–16) and stated that “[s]ince no IEP was offered on February 8, 2016,
there is no IEP to consider” (id. at 22). Further, the Parents’ expert witnesses,
Fichtelberg and Dr. McGuffog, did not testify regarding the adequacy of the
2017 IEP, and questioning focused on whether, in their view and with
hindsight, C.M. should have been classified as IDEA-eligible in February 2016.
(See, e.g., Tr. D at 88 (Parents’ counsel explanation of how Fichtelberg’s
testimony related and was limited to the February 2016 eligibility
determination); Tr. E at 108 (same as to Dr. McGuffog).) The Parents submitted
Fichtelberg’s and Dr. McGuffog’s post-February 2016 reports, arguing that they
showed a regression that indicated that C.M. was misclassified in February
2016, but they did not submit the 2017 IEP. (ALJ Op. at 11, 14, 26–27.)
The ALJ issued his decision in October 2018 and made the following
conclusions relevant to this case:
• Dr. McGuffog’s testimony was not entitled to “a great deal of weight”
because (1) she appeared upset that her recommendations were not
accepted, (2) she testified that she was not given the opportunity to
adequately participate in the eligibility meetings but that testimony
was contradicted by other witnesses, and (3) she testified that she
recommended that C.M. should receive special education but her
report contradicted that recommendation. (Id. at 18.)
• While the Parents presented evidence post-dating the February 2016
meeting, the ALJ would only consider the information available to the
District when it made its eligibility determination. (Id. at 24.)
• The District appropriately considered C.M.’s needs and worked to
assist him, as evinced by the I&RS meeting and subsequent
improvements. (Id.) Based on C.M.’s progress with existing
accommodations, the District correctly determined that C.M. was not
eligible for special education in February 2016. (Id. at 24–25.)
The ALJ therefore dismissed the Parents’ due process petition. (Id.)
D. Proceedings in this Court
The Parents sought review of the ALJ’s decision in this Court. (DE 1.)
Their Amended Complaint recounts the events described above and alleges
that, following the administrative process, they found the 2017 IEP inadequate
and placed C.M. in private school in fall 2019 per Dr. McGuffog’s
recommendation. (Am. Compl. ¶¶ 259–70.) That is, they placed C.M. in private
school one year after the ALJ decision and two years after an IEP was
developed. They assert the following claims:
• Count I: The District violated the IDEA by failing to classify him as
disabled in February 2016 and the ALJ’s decision requires reversal. (Id.
¶¶ 230–37.)
• Count II: The District’s failure to classify C.M. violated the RA. (Id.
¶¶ 238–43.)
• Count III: Because the District never developed an IEP that reflected Dr.
McGuffog’s recommendations, the Parents are entitled to a declaratory
judgment under the Declaratory Judgment Act (“DJA”), 28 U.S.C. § 2201,
that the District must develop such an IEP for C.M. Because Dr.
McGuffog recommended that C.M. be placed in private school, and the
Parents unilaterally did so, they are also entitled to reimbursement for
C.M.’s private schooling. (Id. ¶¶ 244–76.)
• Count IV: If successful on the IDEA claims, the Parents are entitled to
attorney’s fees. (Id. ¶¶ 277–79.)
After much procedural maneuvering, now before the Court are (1) the
District’s motion to dismiss Count III and to strike related factual allegations,
(2) the Parents’ motion for partial summary judgment on Count I and full
summary judgment on Count II, and (3) the District’s opposition and cross-
motion for summary judgment on all claims.
II. STANDARDS OF REVIEW
A. Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction
Under Rule 12(b)(1), a defendant may move to dismiss on the grounds
that the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the dispute. Fed. R. Civ. P.
12(b)(1). A Rule 12(b)(1) attack can be facial where the defendant “attacks the
complaint on its face without contesting its alleged facts.” Hartig Drug Co. v.
Senju Pharms. Co., 836 F.3d 261, 268 (3d Cir. 2016). Or a Rule 12(b)(1) attack
can be factual where the defendant “attacks allegations underlying the
assertion of jurisdiction in the complaint.” Id. “[W]hen reviewing a factual
challenge, “a court may weigh and consider evidence outside the pleadings,”
and the plaintiff bears the burden of showing that jurisdiction exists. Id.
(quoting Const. Party of Pa. v. Aichele, 757 F.3d 347, 358 (3d Cir. 2014)).
The District frames its Rule 12(b)(1) motion as facial attack. (Dist. MTD
Reply at 2.) Indeed, the District argues that the Amended Complaint on its face
and the ALJ’s decision, a document integral to and explicitly relied upon in the
Complaint, establish that the Parents have failed to exhaust their remedies on
Count III. (Id. at 2–3.) See generally Doe v. Univ. of Sci., 961 F.3d 203, 208 (3d
Cir. 2020) (on a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, “document[s] integral to or
explicitly relied upon in the complaint” may be considered (citation omitted)).
Although some courts have treated Rule 12(b)(1) motions based on IDEA
exhaustion as a factual challenge, J.Q. v. Wash. Twp. Sch. Dist., 92 F. Supp.
3d 241, 245 (D.N.J. 2015) (collecting cases), the Third Circuit has noted that
exhaustion can properly be addressed as facial attack, Batchelor v. Rose Tree
Media Sch. Dist., 759 F.3d 266, 271 & n.6 (3d Cir. 2014). Accordingly, I treat
the District’s Rule 12(b)(1) motion as a facial attack.
B. Motion for Summary Judgment
“[W]hen there is no new evidence presented to the district court . . . a
motion for summary judgment is simply the procedural vehicle for asking the
judge to decide the case on the basis of the administrative record.” M.A. v.
Voorhees Twp. Bd. of Educ., 202 F. Supp. 2d 345, 359 (D.N.J. 2002) (internal
quotations and citations omitted), aff’d, 65 F. App’x 404 (3d Cir. 2003). “In
cases arising under the IDEA, we apply a modified de novo standard of review,
giving due weight and deference to the findings in the administrative
proceedings.” D.K. v. Abington Sch. Dist., 696 F.3d 233, 243 (3d Cir. 2012)
(citation omitted). A reviewing court must “accept the state agency’s credibility
determinations unless the nontestimonial, extrinsic evidence in the record
would justify a contrary conclusion.” Id. (internal quotations and citations
omitted). Conclusions of law are given plenary review. Id. The ALJ’s factual
findings “are to be considered prima facie correct, and if [a court does] not
adhere to those findings, [it] must explain why.” Id. (internal citations omitted).
That said, the court cannot merely defer to the ALJ. A court “does not
use the substantial evidence standard typically applied in the review of
administrative agency decisions, but instead must decide independently
whether the requirements of the IDEA are met.” Susan N. v. Wilson Sch. Dist.,
70 F.3d 751, 757 (3d Cir. 1995) (internal quotation and citation omitted). The
party seeking relief or challenging the administrative decision bears the burden
of persuasion. D.K., 696 F.3d at 243 (citations omitted).
III. DISCUSSION
A. Motion to Strike
Preliminarily, the District moves to strike allegations concerning facts
that post-date the February 2016 eligibility determination. (Dist. MTD Brf. at
16.) I may “strike from a pleading . . . any redundant, immaterial, impertinent,
or scandalous matter.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f). “[M]otions to strike under Rule
12(f) are disfavored and should generally be denied ‘unless the allegations have
no possible relation to the controversy and may cause prejudice to one of the
parties, or . . . confuse the issues.’” Red Hawk Fire & Sec., LLC v. Siemens
Indus. Inc. 449 F. Supp. 3d 449, 459 (D.N.J. 2020) (quoting Garlanger v.
Verbeke, 223 F. Supp. 2d 596, 609 (D.N.J. 2002)). The District moves to strike
paragraphs 129 to 133 and 168 to 229, which concern evaluations C.M.
received post-February 2016 that informed his later classification as autistic,
and paragraphs 244 to 276, which concern the facts supporting Count III and
the Parent’s placement of C.M. in private school.
I will deny the motion to strike as such. First, the allegations regarding
evaluations C.M. received post-February 2016 (Am. Compl. ¶¶ 129–33, 168–
229) are relevant to the Parents’ claim in Count I that the ALJ should have
considered these evaluations in reviewing the District’s disability determination
(id. ¶ 237(h)). The Parents may or may not be correct, but those factual
allegations are still necessary to review their claim, so they are not
“immaterial.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f). Second, the allegations are relevant to the
Parents’ version of the issues at stake in Count III; although I will dismiss
Count III, there is no need to strike the allegations made in support of it, as
their mere presence produces neither scandal nor prejudice to any party.
B. Cross-Motions for Summary Judgment on Count I
Count I directly challenges the District’s determination that C.M. was not
disabled as of February 2016 and the ALJ’s affirmance of that determination.
(Am. Compl. ¶¶ 230–37.) The IDEA and implementing regulations set forth
procedures school districts should follow to identify and evaluate children with
disabilities. D.K., 696 F.3d at 250. A child is disabled if (1) he3 has an
impairment listed in the IDEA, such as a specific learning disability, autism, or
ADHD, (2) the impairment adversely affects his educational performance, and
(3) he needs special education. 20 U.S.C. § 1401(3)(A); N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-3.5(c);

3 Because C.M. happens to be male, I will use the male pronoun even when
referring to a child generically.
see also M.S. v. Randolph Bd. of Educ., Civ. No. 18-13029, 2019 WL 4785742,
at *8 (D.N.J. Sept. 30, 2019).4 I will address each prong in turn,5 but first I
must address the scope of evidence considered by the ALJ.
Scope of Evidence Considered
During the administrative process, the Parents submitted evidence
relating to C.M.’s alleged disabilities that post-dated the February 2016
meeting (namely reports from Fichtelberg and Dr. McGuffog), which the ALJ did
not consider. (ALJ Decision at 24.) They argue that such evidence should
nevertheless be considered by the Court in reviewing the District’s
determinations. (Parents SJ Brf. at 23–27.) I denied the motion to strike these
allegations in the first instance, see Section III.A, supra; upon considering
them, however, I do not agree that they were relevant to the ALJ’s decision.
Neither the Third Circuit nor the Supreme Court has addressed whether
courts or an ALJ should consider post-hoc evidence when reviewing an
eligibility determination. In a related context, the Third Circuit has held that
courts should review the reasonableness of the speed with which a district
identified and evaluated a child “in light of the information and resources
possessed by the district at a given point in time.” Ridley Sch. Dist. v. M.R., 680
F.3d 260, 271 (3d Cir. 2012) (internal quotations and citation omitted). Ridley

4 Because the IDEA requires that a state has “a system in place to identify,
locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities,” New Jersey has procedures and
specific definitions of disability in regulations, which courts follow. M.A. ex rel. E.S. v.
State-Operated Sch. Dist. of City of Newark, 344 F.3d 335, 338–39 (3d Cir. 2003); H.M.
ex rel. B.M. v. Haddon Heights Bd. of Educ., 822 F. Supp. 2d 439, 449–50 (D.N.J.
2011).
5 The District’s presentation at the hearing focused on the third prong, need for
special education. (E.g., Tr. A at 5–6, 12–13, 132–33; Tr. F at 71–72.) I will, however,
address the other two prongs because (1) in the summary judgment motions, the
Parents allege a variety of procedural violations related to those prongs, which the
District defends against, see C.H., 606 F.3d at 66–67 (explaining how procedural
violations may give rise to some relief under the IDEA); (2) neither the non-testimonial
evidence nor the ALJ decision specified which prong the Parents failed to meet; and
(3) Parents would need to prove all three to show that C.M. was disabled and that the
District denied him a FAPE by not classifying him as such.
dealt with whether a district timely identified a child as disabled, while this
case deals with whether the District correctly identified a child as disabled.
Nonetheless, Ridley suggests that courts should review whether a district
identified a child as disabled based on then-available information. Indeed, the
Fifth and Ninth Circuits have squarely held that review of an eligibility
determination is limited to information available at the time of evaluation
because “[s]ubsequent events do not determine ex ante reasonableness in the
eligibility context.” Lisa M. v. Leander Indep. Sch. Dist., 924 F.3d 205, 214–15
(5th Cir. 2019); see also L.J. by and through Hudson v. Pittsburg Unified Sch.
Dist., 850 F.3d 996, 1004 (9th Cir. 2017).
In response, the Parents rely on Susan N., which held that a court
reviewing an IEP may consider a child’s later progress to determine “whether
the original IEP was reasonably calculated to afford some educational benefit.”
70 F.3d at 762 (citation and emphasis omitted). Susan N. does not dictate that
the ALJ was required to consider post-February 2016 evidence, for two
reasons: First, Susan N.’s approval of later-acquired evidence is limited to
evaluating the reasonableness and efficacy of an IEP. D.S. v. Bayonne Bd. of
Educ., 602 F.3d 553, 555–56 (3d Cir. 2010); T.O. v. Summit City Bd. of Educ.,
Civ. No. 12-5350, 2015 WL 4548780, at *17 (D.N.J. July 27, 2015). Second,
there is good reason not to extend Susan N. because, as the Fifth Circuit
explained, “[t]he IEP appropriateness inquiry . . . considers staff
implementation and student performance over a period of time whereas
eligibility is a snapshot of the student’s condition at the time of the eligibility
determination.” Lisa M., 924 F.3d at 215 (internal footnote omitted). And that
makes sense; if a child is disabled as of a certain date, then the functioning of
an appropriate IEP may well change over time (ideally because the IEP is
working and the child is progressing).
Accordingly, the ALJ did not err in focusing on the information available
in February 2016 in connection with the eligibility determination, and I will
similarly limit my review.
Impairment
Turning to the eligibility determination itself, the first prong requires me
to decide whether C.M. had a specific learning disability, autism, or ADHD, and
whether the District should have further evaluated him for those impairments.
See 20 U.S.C. § 1401(3)(A)(i); N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-3.5(c).
i. Specific Learning Disability
The Parents argue that C.M. qualified as having a “specific learning
disability.” (Parents SJ Brf. at 8–10.) A “specific learning disability” is defined
as a “disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in
understanding or using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in
an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, [or] spell.” N.J.A.C.
§ 6A:14-3.5(c)(12); see also 34 C.F.R. § 300.8(c)(10)(i). There are two methods to
determine whether a child has a specific learning disability. V.M., 2014 WL
3020189, at *4. “The first is the ‘severe discrepancy’ approach, by which [the
district] determine[s] whether there is a ‘severe discrepancy . . . between the
student’s current achievement and intellectual ability in one or more” listed
areas (for example, reading comprehension). Id. (quoting N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-
3.5(c)(12)(i)). “Alternatively, the [district] may also ‘utilize[e] a response to
scientifically based interventions methodology.’” Id. (citing N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-
3.5(c)(12)(ii)).6 Either method is permissible. Id. at *4 n.2; see also 34 C.F.R.
§ 300.307(a).
The Parents argue that they presented evidence showing a severe
discrepancy between C.M.’s scores on standardized evaluations and his IQ
score. (Parents SJ Brf. at 9–10.) The District, however, used the response-to-
intervention methodology. (E.g., Tr. A at 54–56.) The Parents argue that the
District was required to rely on the severe-discrepancy data they provided.
(Parents SJ Reply at 13–14.) The IDEA is clear, however, that the District has

6 With this methodology, a student is provided increasing levels of support while
his progress is monitored, and a team assesses whether interventions are successful
before determining that special education is necessary. Lisa M., 924 F.3d at 209.
more methodological leeway; “a local educational agency shall not be required
to take into consideration whether a child has a severe discrepancy between
achievement and intellectual ability.” 20 U.S.C. § 1414(b)(6)(A). Because the
District choice of methodology was permissible, and the Parents have presented
no arguments attacking the methodology which the District did employ, I
cannot conclude that the District erred in determining that C.M. did not have a
specific learning disability.
ii. Autism
The Parents argue that C.M. qualified as autistic7 because Dr. McGuffog
gave C.M. a “rule out” diagnosis—i.e., an opinion that an autism diagnosis
could not be ruled out. (Parents SJ Brf. at 10–11.) The District, as it was
required to do, considered a variety of assessments, not just Dr. McGuffog’s
report, when making its determination. See V.M., 2014 WL 3020189, at *4
(“[F]ederal regulations require school districts to draw upon a wide range of the
data collected in its evaluation . . . . New Jersey’s regulations go one step
farther, providing that ‘[c]lassification shall be based on all assessments
conducted . . . .’” (quoting N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-3.5(c))). Those assessments showed
that (1) C.M. could mostly comply with directions (DE 73-19, at 4); (2) his
behavioral incidents occurred only 5% of the schoolyear and were mitigated by
the incentive program (id.); (3) he was able to have positive and normal social
interactions and relationships with his peers and teacher (DE 73-21, at 5–6);
and (4) while he struggled with reading and writing, he could adequately
express himself orally (see id.) The District did not ignore Dr. McGuffog’s report
and data, but considered them in conjunction with its own assessments. (E.g.,
Tr. F at 54–57.) Thus, there was a reasonable basis to find that C.M.’s
communication and interaction skills were not so “significantly impact[ed]” as
to qualify as autism. N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-3.5(c)(2); see also Timothy F. v. Antietam

7 “‘Autism’ means a pervasive developmental disability that significantly impacts
verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction . . . .” N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-
3.5(c)(2); see also 34 C.F.R. § 300.8(b)(1)(i).
Sch. Dist., No. 12-2719, 2014 WL 1301955, at *6 (E.D. Pa. Mar. 31, 2014)
(explaining that, when courts review eligibility determinations, they review the
evidence relied on and “the general logic and reasonability of the district’s and
hearing officer’s findings” (citations omitted)); cf. Hansen ex rel. J.H. v. Republic
R-III Sch. Dist., 632 F.3d 1024, 1027–28 (8th Cir. 2011) (rule-out diagnosis,
along with formal diagnosis and observation of behaviors, supported
conclusion that student had disability).
The Parents also argue that Dr. McGuffog’s rule-out diagnosis at least
required further evaluation, and that by failing to conduct autism-specific
evaluations, the District violated its “Child Find” obligations. The Child Find
obligation requires that school districts “identif[y], locate[], and evaluate[]”
children with disabilities. 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3)(A). It is an independent
requirement; “failure to comply with Child Find may constitute a procedural
violation of the IDEA.” D.K., 696 F.3d at 249. Nonetheless, as explained, the
District conducted multiple assessments after receiving Dr. McGuffog’s report
to determine whether C.M. was disabled, so there was no violation of Child
Find. See id. at 251 (district did not violate Child Find when it performed
multiple tests, even though the parents demanded another particular test). And
C.M.’s later classification as autistic does not render the District’s earlier
determination inadequate. Id. Accordingly, there was neither error in the
District’s determination that C.M. was not eligible as autistic in February 2016
nor a violation of the District’s Child Find obligations.8

8 The Parents also argue that the District violated its Child Find obligations
because, between February 2016 and August 2017, they provided the District with
more evidence of C.M.’s disabilities (reports from Dr. McGuffog and Fichtelberg), yet
the District did not issue an IEP until August 2017. (Parents SJ Brf. at 27–28.) This
argument fails for three reasons: (1) This theory is not well-pleaded in the Amended
Complaint because Count I only mentions Child Find when listing the alleged errors in
the ALJ decision (Am. Compl. ¶ 237(d)), but the ALJ decision did not address the
District’s conduct post-February 2016 (ALJ Op. at 24). See Berrada v. Cohen, 792 F.
App’x 158, 161 n.3 (3d Cir. 2019) (declining to consider theory of liability at summary
judgment when the complaint did not adequately encompass that theory (citation
omitted)). (2) Even if this claim were pleaded, the ALJ only addressed the District’s
iii. ADHD
The Parents argue that C.M. had ADHD.9 (Parents SJ Brf. at 12.) As with
their autism argument, the Parents rely on a rule-out diagnosis by Dr.
McGuffog, this one for ADHD. (Id.) For the same reasons as set forth above,
that argument fails; despite the rule-out diagnosis, the District and the ALJ
were entitled to rely on other evidence which indicated that C.M. did not exhibit
ADHD in February 2016. None of the District’s assessments noted a significant
struggle with attention. It is true that a private psychologist found attention
difficulties, but the District considered those observations in the context of the
other evidence and concluded that C.M.’s attention regulation was fairly typical
for his age. (See Tr. A. at 142–44.) Accordingly, when considering all the
evidence, the District could reasonably conclude that C.M. did not have ADHD.
See Timothy F. 2014 WL 1301955, at *6.
The ADHD argument fails for the additional reason that “[a] medical
assessment documenting the health problem is required.” N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-
3.5(c)(9). Dr. McGuffog, a neuropsychologist, is not a medical doctor, so her
report would not seem to qualify as a “medical assessment.” In any event, her
report does not go so far as to diagnose C.M. with ADHD. The regulation
requires “documenting the health problem” (here, ADHD), which at least
suggests that a more formal diagnosis is necessary.

February 2016 eligibility determination, so this claim is unexhausted. See Section
III.D, infra. (3) The claim would fail on the merits because the IEP document indicated
that C.M. was evaluated by Dr. Platt just two months after Dr. McGuffog diagnosed
him and the IEP meeting was convened just a month later (DE 70-19, at 2–4); such a
timeframe is not unreasonable. See Ridley, 680 F.3d at 271–72 (explaining that courts
only review the time a district takes to identify and evaluate a child for
reasonableness).
9 20 U.S.C. § 1401(3)(A) (defining “child with a disability” as a child with “other
health impairments”); N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-3.5(c)(9) (“‘Other health impairment’ means a
disability characterized by having limited strength, vitality, or alertness . . . due to
chronic or acute health problems, such as attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder . . . .”).
For the reasons outlined above, I will affirm the District’s determination
that C.M. did not qualify on the basis of having ADHD.
Adverse Effects
Even assuming that C.M. had an impairment, the Parents had to show
that the impairment “adversely affect[ed] [his] educational performance.”
N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-3.5(c). Neither the IDEA nor regulations define “adversely
affect.” E.g., M.S., 2019 WL 4785742, at *9. In surveying case law, however,
Judge Hayden articulated that “[g]enerally, . . . when students’ academics do
not decline . . . that consistency is usually found to signal that their disability
does not adversely affect their educational performance.” Id. at *9. Here, the
District’s assessments showed that C.M.’s reading level progressed and that,
while his writing continued to be an area of weakness, assistance had proved
successful. (DE 73-9, at 2.) Due to this improvement and consistency, any
impairment was not adversely affecting C.M.’s educational performance. See
Ridley, 680 F.3d at 272 (finding no disability when “although areas of
weakness were found, [the child’s] academic skills were generally considered to
be in the average range”).10
Need for Special Education
Finally, the IDEA requires a finding that C.M. “needs special education
and related services” as a result of an impairment. 20 U.S.C. § 1401(3)(A)(ii).
“Special education” means “specially designed instruction . . . to meet the
unique needs of a child with a disability.” Id. § 1401(29). “Specially designed
instruction” means “adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible
child . . . , the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction—(i) To address

10 The Parents ask me to consider adverse effects on C.M.’s non-academic
performance (i.e., behavior), relying on policy letters from the Department of
Education, which they argue are entitled to deference. (Parents SJ Brf. at 14.) Without
wading into the thicket of deference, cf. Kisor v. Wilkie, 139 S. Ct. 2400, 2414–18
(2019), I will assume for analysis that such deference applies. Even so, the District
could conclude that any impairments did not adversely affect C.M.’s behavior because
his behavioral incidents occurred only 5% of the schoolyear and were mitigated by the
incentive program. (DE 73-19, at 4.)
the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability; and (ii) To
ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can
meet . . . educational standards.” 34 C.F.R. § 300.39(3).
There is little guidance on what it means to need special education. Lisa
M., 924 F.3d at 215. Persuasive authority instructs that a child “needs special
education” if he cannot attain educational standards in the general education
environment. See Durbow v. Cobb Cnty. Sch. Dist., 887 F.3d 1182, 1194–95
(11th Cir. 2018); L.J., 850 F.3d at 1004–05; Lisa M., 924 F.3d at 218; cf. D.K.,
696 F.3d at 252 (district did not fail to identify child as disabled when it offered
him accommodations “en route to eventually finding a disability”); Ridley, 680
F.3d at 272 (affirming ALJ decision that no child find violation occurred when
the district “address[ed] [a student’s] needs and provid[ed] appropriate
instruction and interventions before rushing to special education
identification”).
The District reasonably concluded that C.M. did not “need special
education” in February 2016. C.M. was progressing in the District with
interventions that fell short of “special education.” All of the accommodations
which the District provided for C.M., both academic and behavioral, were
available as part of the general education program. (Tr. A at 147; Tr. B at 15–
16, 25–27.) See McIntyre v. Eugene Sch. Dist. 4J, --- F.3d ---, No. 19-35186,
2020 WL 5651279, at *8 (9th Cir. Sept. 23, 2020) (holding that not all
accommodations qualify as “special education”). Accordingly, there was no
“need” to move him to a special education setting or modify the curriculum.
The Parents do not take issue with how the District defines “special
education” or determines a child’s need for it. Instead, they argue that C.M.
needed special education based almost entirely on Dr. McGuffog’s observations
of impairments and her recommendations. (Parents SJ Brf. at 16–22.) As a
result, the Parents have not presented a basis to disturb the District’s
determination, because they fail to engage with the relevant legal standard and
the crux of the District’s case before the ALJ. Moreover, there is nothing in the
IDEA or related case law instructing that a private evaluator’s recommendation
alone satisfies the statutory standard that a child does “need special
education.” What is more, Dr. McGuffog’s report did not even recommend
special education, but only certain accommodations. (See McGuffog Rep. at 37–
39.)11 That Dr. McGuffog observed evidence of impairments is insufficient—the
Parents needed to establish that C.M. needed special education, outside of
what was available in the District’s general educational program, to address
those impairments. See D.S. Neptune Twp. Bd. of Educ., 264 F. App’x 186, 189
(3d Cir. 2008). The Parents’ statement that “C.M. needed special education
because he has ADHD” (Parents SJ Brf. at 18) is not enough.
* * *
In sum, the District’s determination that C.M. was not disabled and did
not need special education, and the ALJ’s affirmance thereof, was supported by
a preponderance of evidence and comported with the statutory standard.
Accordingly, I will affirm the ALJ decision and grant the District summary
judgment on Count I.
C. Cross-Motions for Summary Judgment on Count II
The Parents claim that the District’s failure to classify C.M. as disabled
also violated the Rehabilitation Act. (Am. Compl. ¶¶ 238–43.) The RA prohibits
discrimination or exclusion from programs on the basis of disability. 29 U.S.C.

11 Dr. McGuffog damaged her credibility with the ALJ by testifying to the contrary.
(ALJ Op. at 18, 24.) The Parents take issue with the ALJ’s adverse credibility finding
with respect to Dr. McGuffog. (ALJ Decision at 18; Parents SJ Brf. at 31–35.) However,
I “must accept the [ALJ’s] credibility determinations unless the non-testimonial,
extrinsic evidence in the record would justify a contrary conclusion.” D.K., 696 F.3d at
243 (citation omitted). As relevant here, the ALJ gave little weight to Dr. McGuffog’s
testimony because she testified that C.M. needed special education, but “[a] fair
reading of her first report does not reveal an unequivocal recommendation for special
education.” (ALJ Op. at 18.) The report itself supports the ALJ’s conclusion; there is no
mention of special education, only recommendations for certain interventions
(McGuffog Rep. at 37) which, in that particular District, are available as part of the
general education program.
§ 794(a).12 An RA claim requires, among other things, that the plaintiff be
“disabled,” Ridley, 680 F.3d at 280, meaning that he “has a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities,” Weidow
v. Scranton Sch. Dist., 460 F. App’x 181, 185 (3d Cir. 2012) (internal quotation
marks and citation omitted). Although the RA and IDEA definitions of disability
diverge in some respects, they both require an impairment. Compare 29 U.S.C.
§ 705(20)(B), with 20 U.S.C. § 1401(3); see also B.C. v. Mt. Vernon Sch. Dist.,
837 F.3d 152, 159 (2d Cir. 2016). For the RA, a mental impairment includes
“any mental or psychological disorder, such as intellectual disability . . . and
specific learning disabilities.” 34 C.F.R. § 104.3(j)(2)(i)(B). Assuming that the
impairments described above qualify, the Parents have not shown that, based
on the evidence in February 2016, C.M. suffered from any of those
impairments. As a result, their RA claim fails. Cf. D.K., 696 F.3d at 253 n.8
(“[O]ur finding that the School District did not deny D.K. a FAPE is equally
dispositive of Plaintiffs’ [RA] claim.”).
The RA claim fails for an additional reason: The Parents have put forward
no argument or evidence showing that any impairment “substantially limits
one or more major life activities.” 29 U.S.C. § 705(20)(B); see also B.C., 837
F.3d at 159. The IDEA does not use this “substantially limits” definition, so
even if plaintiff shows that she is disabled under the IDEA, that showing “does
not relieve [p]laintiff of her burden [under the RA] of proving by a
preponderance of the evidence” that she faces a substantial limitation. Bowers
v. NCAA, 563 F. Supp. 2d 508, 533 (D.N.J. 2008); see Andrew M. v. Del. Cnty.
Office of Mental Health & Mental Retardation, 490 F.3d 337, 349 (3d Cir. 2007)

12 “[A] party may use the same conduct as the basis for claims under both the
IDEA and the RA,” including denial of a FAPE. Andrew M. v. Del. Cnty. Office of Mental
Health & Mental Retardation, 490 F.3d 337, 349 (3d Cir. 2007). If the gravamen of the
RA claim is denial of a FAPE, then the claim must be exhausted through the IDEA
process. Wellman v. Butler Area Sch. Dist., 877 F.3d 125, 133–34 (3d Cir. 2017). The
Parents allege that the District violated the RA by failing to provide a FAPE. (Am.
Compl. ¶¶ 241–43) Because they presented the RA claim in their due process petition
(Pet. at 18), I find that the claim was exhausted.
(“[E]ven in cases also brought under the IDEA, . . . a plaintiff must still prove
that there was a violation of the RA.”).
In their moving brief, the Parents merely assert that they are entitled to
summary judgment on their RA claim because they should also succeed on
their IDEA claim. (Parents SJ Brf. at 35.) The one does not necessarily imply
the other; the “substantially limits” inquiry involves specific, additional
standards and facts. See generally Ramsay v. Nat’l Bd. of Med. Exam’rs, 968
F.3d 251, 258–59 (3d Cir. 2020). Still, the Parents make no arguments along
those lines. Because the Parents bore the burden to prove this element and
made no attempt to carry that burden, their claim fails. See Goldenstein v.
Repossessors Inc., 815 F.3d 142, 146 (3d Cir. 2016); Yates Real Estate, Inc. v.
Plainfield Zoning Bd. of Adjustment, 404 F. Supp. 3d 889, 913 n.28 (D.N.J.
2019).
D. Motion to Dismiss Count III
The District argues that the Court lacks jurisdiction over Count III
because the Parents did not exhaust that claim before the ALJ. (Dist. MTD Brf.
at 4–12.) Specifically, the District contends that Count III asks for a specific
IEP and reimbursement for C.M.’s private education post-July 2019, but the
only issue considered by the ALJ was whether C.M. was disabled as of
February 2016. (Id. at 9–10.) I agree and conclude that (1) exhaustion is
required for Count III, (2) the Parents did not exhaust that claim, and (3) no
exception to the exhaustion requirement applies. Count III will be dismissed.
Exhaustion Requirement
I first must decide whether an exhaustion requirement applies to Count
III, which seeks a declaratory judgment under the DJA. Federal courts only
have jurisdiction over IDEA claims which plaintiffs have exhausted in their
administrative proceeding. Batchelor, 759 F.3d at 272. The exhaustion
requirement applies to non-IDEA claims if “the gravamen of the plaintiff’s suit”
is the denial of FAPE. Wellman v. Butler Area Sch. Dist., 877 F.3d 125, 131 (3d
Cir. 2017) (quoting Fry v. Napoleon Cmty. Schs., 137 S. Ct. 743, 748 (2017)).
The gravamen of Count III is the denial of a FAPE. Count III seeks a declaration
that “the District is obligated to develop an IEP for C.M.” and, as a remedy for
the District’s failure to do so, reimbursement of private-school tuition. (Am.
Compl. ¶ 275.) “The state administers a FAPE by developing an IEP for every
child with disabilities.” Wellman, 877 F.3d at 128 n.4 (citing 20 U.S.C. §
1414(d)). It follows that the Parents’ claim that the District failed to provide an
IEP, at least under these circumstances, is equivalent to a claim that the
District denied C.M. a FAPE. Further, to be entitled to reimbursement for
private school tuition, the Parents must show that the District wrongfully failed
to provide D.M. with a FAPE. See P.P. ex rel. Michael P. v. W. Chester Area Sch.
Dist., 585 F.3d 727, 739 & n.4 (3d Cir. 2009).
It makes no difference that Count III is brought under the Declaratory
Judgment Act; the DJA is not a standalone source of rights, but a procedural
vehicle for litigants to seek a declaration of their rights under some other law—
here, the IDEA. See CMR D.N. Corp. v. City of Philadelphia, 703 F.3d 612, 628
(3d Cir. 2013); In re: Lamictal Indirect Purchaser & Antitrust Consumer Litig.,
172 F. Supp. 3d 724, 740 (D.N.J. 2016). Thus, for the Court to hear Count III,
that IDEA claim must have been exhausted.
Actual Exhaustion
The next question is whether the Parents in fact exhausted that claim.
The Parents argue that they presented the ALJ with the issue of whether the
District was obligated to develop an IEP according to their experts’
recommendations. (Parent MTD Opp. at 10–17.) The Amended Complaint
alleges, and the District does not disagree, that the ALJ “never ruled on this
request.” (Am. Compl. ¶ 3.) Lacking direct Third Circuit authority, I analyze the
statutory language and persuasive authority, and conclude that the Parents
have not exhausted Count III.
i. Statutory Language
The exhaustion requirement is a product of the statute, so I begin with
the statutory language. Fry, 137 S. Ct. at 753. Section 1415(i)(2)(A) provides
that “any party aggrieved by the findings and decision” of an ALJ may “bring a
civil action with respect to the complaint presented pursuant to [the ALJ].”
Section 1415(l) clarifies that the same procedure applies to claims brought
under other federal laws “protecting the rights of children with
disabilities . . . seeking relief that is also available under [the IDEA].” See also
Wellman, 877 F.3d at 131.
Section 1415(i)(2)(A) indicates that a court’s scope of review is limited to
what was presented in the administrative complaint as well as the ultimate
“findings and decision” of the ALJ. Put another way, anything outside the
complaint or findings and decision of the ALJ has not been exhausted. This is
so because § 1415(i)(2)(A) gives this court jurisdiction over an “action with
respect to the complaint presented” to the ALJ. 20 U.S.C. § 1415(i)(2)(A)
(emphasis added); Batchelor, 759 F.3d at 272. The language “with respect to”
signifies that such jurisdiction is confined to the “complaint presented” to the
ALJ. See V.M. ex rel. B.M. v. Sparta Twp. Bd. of Educ., Civ. No. 12-892, 2014
WL 3020189, at *5 (D.N.J. July 3, 2014). Further, because only those who have
been “aggrieved by the findings and decision” of an ALJ may bring an action,
the statute directs that my review is confined to the findings and decision of
the ALJ on the issues presented in the complaint.
Applying this language, I find that the Parents have not exhausted Count
III. Their due process petition presented a narrow claim to the ALJ: a challenge
to “the District’s determination that C.M. was not eligible for special
education,” i.e., not disabled, as of February 2016. (Am. Compl. ¶ 249.) Thus,
the “complaint presented” to the ALJ claimed that the District violated the
IDEA by failing to identify him as disabled. Although an IEP was issued and
implemented while the administrative process was ongoing, there is no
indication that the Parents sought to amend their petition to include a
challenge to that IEP or even that they directed the ALJ’s attention to that IEP.
The “findings and decision” of the ALJ are equally circumscribed because the
ALJ only considered evidence available at the time of the eligibility
determination. (Id. ¶ 257.)
As described in more detail at pp. 7–8, supra, the hearings related only to
the classification in February 2016 (Tr. A at 5–24); the Parents’ opening
statement (delivered two months after the IEP was developed), was confined to
that issue (id. at 15–16); the same opening statement acknowledged that
“[s]ince no IEP was offered on February 8, 2016, there is no IEP to consider”
(id. at 22); the Parents’ expert witnesses, Fichtelberg and Dr. McGuffog, did not
testify regarding the adequacy of the 2017 IEP (see, e.g., Tr. D at 88 (Parents’
counsel explanation of how Fichtelberg’s testimony related and was limited to
the February 2016 eligibility determination); Tr. E at 108 (same as to Dr.
McGuffog)); and the Parents submitted Fichtelberg’s and Dr. McGuffog’s post-
February 2016 reports to support their argument that C.M. was misclassified
in February 2016, but they did not submit the 2017 IEP (ALJ Op. at 11, 14,
26–27).
The ALJ therefore never considered or ruled on a claim relating to a later
IEP for C.M., because he was not asked to do so. (Id. ¶¶ 2–3.) As a result, the
only exhausted issue before the Court is whether C.M. was eligible in February
2016.
Despite the narrowness of their administrative claim, the Parents argue
that, because their petition sought the same relief as Count III (namely, an IEP
that considers the recommendations of their experts), they have exhausted
Count III. (E.g., Parents MTD Opp. at 10.) True, a finding by the ALJ that C.M.
was disabled would have required the District to develop an IEP, and the
Parents would have sought such relief in the event the ALJ overturned the
February 2016 finding that C.M. was not disabled. But the ALJ found that the
District had not erred, and therefore was never called upon to hear evidence or
rule regarding an IEP. Because the ALJ did not reach the IEP, neither do I.
Absent some error in the finding of non-disability, the issue of what IEP the
hypothetical February 2016 disability would have required is not on the table.
ii. Persuasive Authority
Persuasive authority confirms that conclusion. Some courts have taken a
fairly categorical approach that issues raised before but not ruled on by an ALJ
are not exhausted. Centennial Sch. Dist. v. Phil L. ex rel. Matthew L., 559 F.
Supp. 2d 634, 644 (E.D. Pa. 2008) (collecting cases). In Centennial, parents
filed a due process petition alleging that a student was disabled and thus
entitled to a certain procedural protections; because the ALJ only decided
whether the student was disabled, the court held that the issue of whether the
student was due those protections was not exhausted. Id. at 644. Other courts
have taken a less categorical approach, holding that “substantially similar
persisting issues that have already been raised do not require reexhaustion.”
J.N. ex rel. J.N. v. Penn-Delco Sch. Dist., 57 F. Supp. 3d 475, 479 (E.D. Pa.
2014). But those less categorical cases all, more or less, dealt with the following
scenario: A parent challenges the adequacy of IEP before an ALJ; by the time
they reach federal court a different IEP is in place; and the court hears claims
based on the new IEP because the issues and facts are similar enough to the
exhausted IEP. See, e.g., id.; Bd. of Educ. of Hendrick Hudson Cent. Sch. Dist. v.
Rowley, 458 U.S. 176, 186 n.9 (1982); Me. Sch. Admin. Dist. No. 33 v. Mr. R.,
321 F.3d 9, 18 (1st Cir. 2003); D.M. v. Seattle Sch. Dist., 170 F. Supp. 3d 1328,
1339 (W.D. Wash. 2016).
This case is closer to Centennial than it is to the IEP cases. In Centennial
and here, the ALJ only ruled on the threshold issue of whether the child was
disabled at all. The issue of whether a child is disabled is antecedent to the
issue of whether the child (if disabled) was denied protections provided by the
IDEA, a claim which the ALJ did not address. By contrast, in the IEP cases, the
unexhausted claim was closely akin to the exhausted claim, differing only in
the sense that time had passed and the child’s situation, as is common, had
changed in some respects.
Based on this persuasive authority, as well as the statutory language, I
find that Count III was not exhausted.
Exceptions to Exhaustion
Courts may excuse exhaustion where, as the Parents contend here
(Parents MTD Opp. at 23–27), “exhaustion would be futile or inadequate.” D.E.
v. Cent. Dauphin Sch. Dist., 765 F.3d 260, 275 (3d Cir. 2014). Courts must
consider whether enforcing the exhaustion requirement would serve its
purposes, namely “developing the record for review on appeal, encouraging
parents and the local school district to work together . . . , and allowing the
education agencies to apply their expertise and correct their own errors.”
Batchelor, 759 F.3d at 275 (internal citations omitted).
Exhaustion would not be futile because no ALJ has decided anything
related to, or even considered evidence on, C.M.’s IEP or the Parents’ unilateral
decision to place him in private school—the basis of Count III. As a result, the
record is not developed on issues related to Count III. Nor are those issues
purely legal or closely allied to those decided by the ALJ. The Parents
acknowledge as much, and contend that “a half day hearing will be necessary
to provide additional evidence regarding C.M.’s current educational needs.”
(Parents MTD Opp. at 23; see also id. at 20 (proposing to rely on evidence that
post-dates the administrative proceeding and is not part of record).) That
evidence and those issues would be better presented to the ALJ in the first
instance, as the IDEA requires. Batchelor, 759 F.3d at 275.13
The Parents’ arguments otherwise are not persuasive. They argue that
exhaustion would be futile because the IDEA administrative process in New
Jersey has historically failed to issue decisions within the statutorily mandated
timetable. (Parents MTD Opp. at 24–26.) The Parents do not cite any authority
holding that a state’s slow administrative process can render exhaustion futile
as to an individual claim. Compare M.M. v. Paterson Bd. of Educ., 736 F. App’x
317, 320 (3d Cir. 2018) (noting that while exhaustion may be excusable when

13 In that regard, it is important to distinguish between the district court’s
unquestioned power under IDEA to take additional evidence on issues that are
properly before it, and finding (as I have) that certain issues are not properly before
the district court.
plaintiffs allege systemic legal deficiencies and request system-wide relief, that
rule does not apply to a claim regarding an individual student’s placement).
Further, while I am sensitive to the frustration of bureaucratic delays, the
adjudication of Count III is not really time sensitive. The ultimate relief the
Parents seek—reimbursement of private school expenses—is not jeopardized by
requiring them to first use the administrative process. Because it would not be
futile to first have an ALJ develop a record and review the issues presented by
Count III, the Parents have not provided a reason to excuse exhaustion.
* * *
The essence of my holding is that the Parents’ due process petition
presented a narrow claim to the ALJ, the ALJ ruled on it, and the Parents are
now trying to litigate a different, expanded claim before this Court. Enforcing
the exhaustion requirement “ensures that the purpose of the IDEA remains
intact,” Batchelor, 759 F.3d at 278, by channeling the initial decision of claims
to the administrators with the relevant expertise. For those reasons, I will
dismiss Count III.
E. Motion for Summary Judgment on Count IV
Finally, in Count IV, the Parents bring a claim for attorney’s fees if
successful on their other claims. (Am. Compl. ¶¶ 277–79.) The IDEA allows a
district court “in its discretion” to award attorney’s fees “to a prevailing party
who is the parent of a child with a disability.” 20 U.S.C. § 1415(i)(3)(B)(i)(I).
Because the Parents’ claims fail, they are not prevailing parties, so the District
is entitled to summary judgment on Count IV.
IV. CONCLUSION
For the reasons set forth above, I will dismiss Count III for lack of
jurisdiction and grant summary judgment in favor of the District on Counts I,
II, and IV. A separate order will issue.
Dated: October 27, 2020
/s/ Kevin McNulty
___________________________________
Hon. Kevin McNulty
United States District Judge

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10269304. Public record. Not legal advice.