In the Winter 2021 issue of SpectrumLife Magazine, Karen Krejcha wrote a feature article presenting Diane Wiscarson and Wiscarson Law’s story as a tribute to the articles the law firm has written and the impact the law firm has had on students with disabilities over the years. The article discusses why Diane Wiscarson started Wiscarson Law and what pressing issues…
In the Winter 2021 issue of SpectrumLife Magazine, Diane Wiscarson and Carly Cannon explain what parents and students should expect when accessing accommodations in college or university classroom settings. The article discusses what steps parents and students should take to arrange accommodations before students start their classes, as well as what accommodations are available in college and university classroom settings. …
Wiscarson Law filed a complaint with the Oregon Department of Education in August 2021 against Portland Public Schools (PPS) for failing to provide Student records in a timely manner as required by the Oregon Administrative Rules. ODE conducted an investigation and agreed that PPS did not provide the requested records, as required. PPS had not provided the records until 112…
Wiscarson Law prevailed in a complaint against Portland Pubic Schools (District), which was filed with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) in August 2021. The complaint noted that the District failed to allow Parents the opportunity to participate in deciding whether or not to evaluate Student, and subsequently, failed to evaluate Student. As a result, ODE concluded that the District…
KATU news reported a story on October 9, 2021, where a family discussed their Child’s challenges in accessing a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) through Hood River School District (District). The Frank family explained their experiences with having their child sent home early and continued challenges with the District. An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and federal court judge ordered the…
After a Due Process Hearing in which Wiscarson Law represented the family, Hood River County School District (District) was found to have denied Student access to an education by both an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and on appeal, a federal district court judge. The OPB article discusses how Student’s educational struggles started on his first day of kindergarten, when his…
In the Fall 2021 issue of SpectrumLife Magazine, Diane Wiscarson and Taylar Lewis explain what restraint and seclusion practices are and when they are used in school. The article discusses how schools are limited in using restraint and seclusion, the procedure schools must follow after using such practices, and what parents can do if they feel their child is being…
Wiscarson Law filed a state complaint with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) in July 2021 against Portland Public Schools (PPS). The complaint alleges that PPS failed to provide Student with IEP Progress Notes, Extended School Year (ESY) services, Recovery Services, and as a result, a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). ODE concluded that the District had in fact…
In the Winter 2020-2021 issue of SpectrumLife Magazine, Diane Wiscarson and Taylar Lewis explain the difference between compensatory education and recovery services. The article discusses when recovery services are appropriate and how parents can show that their child qualifies for recovery services. View the article pages 26-27 in the Winter 2020-21 issue here: https://www.spectrumlife.org/blog/recovery-services-in-the-age-of-covid-19-614
In the Summer 2021 issue of SpectrumLife Magazine, Diane Wiscarson and Taylar Lewis explain how to determine if your child needs a one-to-one aid and what supports a one-to-one aid could offer. The article discusses how a student’s IEP team decides if a one-to-one aid is appropriate, and what parents can do to know if their child is receiving the…