PNW folks -- Jim Long OCR Monday Aug 10

[Macabre]

I learned about this and wanted to share.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1666463460233414/

Speaker Meeting with Jim Long, former Senior Attorney for OCR, US Dept of Education, Denver Enforcement Office
August 10 at 7:00pm in PDT
North Seattle College in Seattle, Washington

[ninjaroll]

Decent turnout tonight.  Good to see it's useful for folks here. 

[Macabre]

That's great!

[ninjaroll]

Can FAS absorb the overflow?  Do you want new parents in need to come to the boards for school help?  I'll be putting groundwork in place for the long term but there's two issues that don't solve the interim.

(1) It will take a year to spin up the new attorney.  We can't rush that miracle.  She needs help, support and a few mentors and I will deliver on that first.

(2) Will there be enough here at the primary and secondary education focus here to 'man the phones'?

All in all the formula needed looks like a lot of OCR complaint process, and some of what you all call the clown posse which is essentially crowdsourced solutions. 

October I meet with an individual who is the OCR Whisperer in her region.  She also initiated a complaint with US DOE OIG, and since I'll be at the national IG conference as part of that professional community it seemed a serendipitous opportunity. 

[Stinky10]

sorry I missed it.....practicing denial about allergies and back to school....

[ninjaroll]

Not much you don't already know.  It's really about facilitating the relationships, paving the way for more.  A primer if you will.  I'm working follow up this morning and will continue to do so.  A reasonable goal is to hold a workshop this time next year with at least one attorney.  It may or may not be Jim depends what he's up to. 

Now it's analysis and refinement mode.  That was the first time I've had the opportunity to directly observe a 504 coordinator's body language listening to OCR on 504 compliance and responsibilities with LTFA.  Also to triangulate the live connections possible between federal enforcement and private practice. 

In real terms we've got a different office with different personnel to contend with.  An office whose territoral responsibility occupies very remote areas not part of the continental US.

[ThreeforMe]

So if there were a meeting specifically to discuss FA's with someone from the OCR, what are some things you would ask?  (This is obviously hypothetical )

A few I see come up are:

1) Bussing for kids
2) FERPA


What else would be burning questions?

[CMdeux]

3) Costs to parents for accommodations-- is it LEGAL for parents to even volunteer to cover those things in the first place, I mean.

[ninjaroll]

Three, or anyone else interested, send me a private message if you'd like to attend a phone meeting with a staff attorney from one of the Disability Rights offices.  It's not an enforcement office per se but they are part of the network of congressionally mandated legal aid offices dedicated to individuals with disability.  Likely he will not get food allergies but at some point we need to learn how to frame our questions in disability language rather than food language.  Frame correctly and you'll get an answer with teeth. 

It will be this Friday at noon Central time.  It should be alright for you to attend.

[ThreeforMe]

I wish I could but we are suppose to be headed out of town. 

I agree that asking things the correct way is vital and would be good to know how to do that.