Federal appeals court says Forest Grove School District doesn't have to pay for boy's private education | OregonLive.com

Federal appeals court says Forest Grove School District doesn't have to pay for boy's private education | OregonLive.com

Federal appeals court says Forest Grove School District doesn't have to pay for boy's private education

Published: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 5:50 PM Updated: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 5:50 PM

By Kelly House, The Oregonian
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A federal court of appeals ruled in favor of the Forest Grove School District on Wednesday, absolving the district from footing the bill for a former student's private school education.

The ruling in Forest Grove School District v. T.A. (the former student) was the fifth court ruling in a case dating back to 2003 that has reached as far as the U.S. Supreme Court.

It stems from April 2003, when the student's parents filed a complaint against Forest Grove, claiming the district had not fulfilled its legal obligation under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act to provide the student with specialized education.

Because the student was a minor, his name is not used and he is identified as T.A. in court documents.

The two sides wrangled over whether the T.A.'s family should be reimbursed for the $5,200-per-month tuition at Mount Bachelor, a private residential program near Prineville.
The case began in Oregon's federal district court, then moved through the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled 6-3 in favor T.A.'s parents and sent the case back to the district court for further review.

The district court favored the school district, but T.A.'s parents