all day yesterday and today I kept thinking that something about this week was important in our lives but i couldn’t quite put my finger on it.  We’ve had a lot going on lately so I figured it could be anything…but then it hit me!  One year ago Thursday is when we received the ALJ’s decision in Owen’s case.  That was an entire year ago – 365 days ago.  I don’t think I ever thought that this whole ordeal would be over after that decision and I did brace myself for it to go on as long as a year, but still….  We are now at the year mark and all I can say is that we are currently in some administrative blackhole (for lack of a better and more accurate description) somewhere in the fedearl court system.  I don’t like this part.  The waiting.  It’s hard. 

Yet, we push forward.  We still believe 110% in what we have done and what we continue to do. 

In case you need a refresher on last year’s event -  here’s the blog post I wrote then: http://educatingowen.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/d-day/

And here’s a summary of what that initial decision said:

Administrative Law Judge Melissa Lassiter’s Final Decision in the case OMM v. Orange County Board of Education rules in favor of the Petitioner (OMM) on every count.   

Judge Lassiter found that Orange County Public Schools 

1)     failed to provide OMM, a 4 year old boy with high-functioning autism, a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) through the development of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

2)     failed  to provide OMM FAPE through an IEP that was reasonably calculated to provide OMM with education benefit 

3)     failed to provide OMM FAPE in the Least Restrictive Environment 

4)     procedurally and substantively failed to provide OMM FAPE by failing to provide OMM with education services before Oct 28, 2008 

AND she found that 

1)     the Parents’ private education placement was appropriate and that they are entitled to reimbursement for costs and expenses as provided in the Conclusions of Law.

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