Special Education & Disability Rights
KC&S advises and represents families of students with disabilities in communities across Massachusetts. Our experienced attorneys assist parents and students at every stage of the special education process.
Our work ranges from consultation, such as advice and strategy with regard to a child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), through dispute resolution. We are skilled at negotiation and mediation. We provide zealous advocacy in administrative hearings before the Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA). We are experienced in state and federal court litigation. We are familiar with the broad range of issues that arise, from determination of a child’s eligibility for special education, to obtaining an appropriate in-district program, to securing public funding for a private school placement. We represent students with all types of disabilities. At the core of our practice is our commitment to making the law’s promise of free appropriate public education (FAPE) a reality.
We also advise and represent families regarding their rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, including Section 504 plans. We protect regular education and special education students involved in bullying or harassment. We represent regular education and special education students at disciplinary proceedings, such as expulsion and suspension hearings.
KC&S provides a wide range of legal assistance to students and adults with disabilities who are seeking accommodations for educational testing or professional licensure examinations. We represent students who need accommodations in college or graduate-level programs. We represent students who face college or university disciplinary proceedings. We also represent individuals with disabilities who are seeking services from state agencies such as the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH).
With more than 30 years’ experience in the field of special education and disability rights, KC&S combines a reputation for excellence and depth of knowledge with personalized service. We are dedicated to helping parents and students obtain their goals.
Navigating the Special Education Process
- Managing Your Child’s Special Education Documents and Records, ExpertBeacon, Inc. (2013), by Robert K. Crabtree
- Reap What You Sow At IEP Meetings, Mass. Down Syndrome Cong. Newsl,, Dec. 2012, by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- Back to School – Some Things to Have in Your Knapsack, 32 Fed’n for Child. with Special Needs Newsline, no. 1 at 2 (2011), by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- College Bound, Mass. Down Syndrome Cong. Newsl., Nov. 2009, by Jayme Finstein and Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- Do’s and Don’ts for Teacher-Advocates (Part Two), 31 Fed’n for Child. with Special Needs Newsline, no. 4, at 1 (2011), by Robert K. Crabtree
- Teachers Who Advocate: Protections and Suggestions (Part One), 31 Fed’n with Child with Special Needs Newsline, no. 3, at 1 (2011), by Robert K. Crabtree
- The Paper Case: Managing Your Documents Under IDEA, Part One (10/98, revised 07/06)
- The Paper Case: Managing Your Documents Under IDEA, Part Two, by Robert K. Crabtree (revised 07/06)
- Mistakes People Make: Independent Evaluators (5/98, revised 07/06)
- Mistakes People Make: School Systems (5/98, revised 07/06)
- Mistakes People Make: Parents (5/98, revised 7/06)
- Mistakes People Make: Advocates (5/98, revised 07/06)
- When IEP Services are Not Delivered (11/97)
- Evaluation Timelines (10/97)
- Evaluations: Your Rights (3/97)
- Evaluations: Selecting an Independent Evaluator (7/97)
- Nine ‘Rules of Thumb’ for Parents (6/97)
- Due Process Hearings: The Basics (9/97)
Understanding Special Education and Related Laws
- Have the Purposes of Chapter 766 Been Achieved?-An Invitation:, by Robert K. Crabtree
- Civil Discipline Law-Part 2, 34 Fed’n for Child. with Special Needs Newsline, no. 1 (2013), by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Sherry L. Rajaniemi-Gregg
- Civil Discipline Law, 33 Fed’n for Child. with Special Needs Newsline, no. 4 (2013), by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Sherry L. Rajaniemi-Gregg
- Of Rights and Children, 33 Fed’n for Child. with Special Needs Newsline, no. 3 (2013), by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Sherry L. Rajaniemi-Gregg
- Medical Expense Deductions for Special Education Costs, by Abbott L. Reichlin
- Appeals Court Strikes Down DDS’s Bright Line Floor of an IQ of 70 For Eligibility for Services, 33 Fed’n for Child. with Special Needs Newsline, no. 1 at 2 (2012), by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- Private School Students May be Entitled to Special Education and Related Services, 32 Fed’n for Child. with Special Needs Newsline, no. 4 at 6 (2012), by Melanie R. Jarboe
- Tough Stance Against Bullying in Massachusetts, 31 Fed’n for Child with Special Needs Newsline, no. 2 at 1 (2010), by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- Inclusion, Mass. Down Syndrome Cong. Newsl., Nov. 2010, by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- Treatment of Applied Behavioral Analysis Under IDEA: Has Recent Peer-Reviewed Support for Intensive Behavioral Approaches Given Parents a Right to ABA Services for Children with Autism? (2010), by Robert K. Crabtree
- Transition Planning and Services, Mass. Down Syndrome Cong. Newsl., Nov. 2009, by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA) Commentaries
The following articles are Commentaries on selected Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA) and Court Decisions. The following articles first appeared as a quarterly commentary in Massachusetts Special Education Reporter (MSER).
- 2nd Quarter, 2024, by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 1st Quarter, 2024, by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 4th Quarter, 2023, by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 3rd Quarter, 2023, by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 2nd Quarter, 2023, by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 1st Quarter, 2023 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 4th Quarter, 2022 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 3rd Quarter, 2022 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 2nd Quarter, 2022 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 1st Quarter, 2022 by Alicia M.P. Warren and Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 4th Quarter, 2021 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 3rd Quarter, 2021 by Eileen M. Hagerty
- 2nd Quarter, 2021 by Melanie R. Jarboe
- 1st Quarter, 2021 by Alicia M.P. Warren
- 4th Quarter, 2020 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 3rd Quarter, 2020 by Eileen M. Hagerty
- 2nd Quarter, 2020 by Alicia M.P. Warren
- 1st Quarter, 2020 by Melanie R. Jarboe
- 4th Quarter, 2019 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 2nd Quarter, 2019 by Alicia M.P. Warren
- 1st Quarter, 2019 by Melanie R. Jarboe
- 4th Quarter, 2018 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 3rd Quarter, 2018 by Eileen M. Hagerty and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 2nd Quarter, 2018 by Melanie R. Jarboe
- 1st Quarter, 2018 by Robert K. Crabtree
- 4th Quarter, 2017 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 3rd Quarter, 2017 by Eileen M. Hagerty and Alicia M.P. Warren
- 2nd Quarter, 2017 by Joseph B. Green and Melanie R. Jarboe
- 1st Quarter, 2017 by Robert K. Crabtree
- 4th Quarter, 2016 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 3rd Quarter, 2016 by Eileen M. Hagerty and Alicia M. Parmentier
- 2nd Quarter, 2016 by Joseph B. Green and Melanie R. Jarboe
- 1st Quarter, 2016 by Robert K. Crabtree
- 4th Quarter, 2015 by Marie F. Mercier and Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 3rd Quarter, 2015 by Joseph B. Green and Melanie R. Jarboe
- 2nd Quarter, 2015 by Eileen M. Hagerty
- 1st Quarter, 2015 by Robert K. Crabtree
- 4th Quarter, 2014 by Eileen M. Hagerty and Melanie R. Jarboe
- 3rd Quarter, 2014 by Marie F. Mercier and Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 2nd Quarter, 2014 by Joseph B. Green and Eileen M. Hagerty
- 1st Quarter, 2014 by Robert K. Crabtree and Janine A. Solomon
- 4th Quarter, 2013 by Joseph B. Green and Melanie R. Jarboe
- 3rd Quarter, 2013 by Sherry L. Rajaniemi-Gregg, Janine A. Solomon and Lawrence Kotin
- 2nd Quarter, 2013 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 1st Quarter, 2013 by Lawrence Kotin and Eileen M. Hagerty
- 4th Quarter, 2012 by Joseph B. Green and Eileen M. Hagerty
- 3rd Quarter, 2012 by Robert K. Crabtree
- 1st Quarter, 2012 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 4th Quarter, 2011 by Lawrence Kotin
- 2nd Quarter, 2011 by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 1st Quarter, 2011 by Robert K. Crabtree, Eileen M. Hagerty, Daniel T.S. Heffernan, and Michelle A. Moor
- 4th Quarter, 2010 by Lawrence Kotin
- 3rd Quarter, 2010 by Joseph B. Green, Eileen M. Hagerty, and Michelle A. Moor
- 2nd Quarter, 2010, by Daniel T.S. Heffernan
- 1st Quarter, 2010, by Robert K. Crabtree
- 4th Quarter, 2009, by Joseph B. Green
Special Education Blog
Special Education Today: A Special Education Law Blog from the attorneys at Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP