When middle and elementary school students face serious school misconduct charges, disability accommodation issues, or academic progression issues, the stakes can be much higher than you may think. Repeating grades, reassignment to a remedial classroom, out-of-school suspension, dismissal, and alternative placement or remote education could result, ruining your young student's precious peer, teacher, and school community relationships. Whether your student attends a public or private school, you and your student likely value that placement enough to protect it.
When the stakes are that high, you and your middle or elementary school student should not proceed without skilled and experienced education attorney advisor representation. No matter your location across the country, and whether in an urban, suburban, or rural district, the Lento Law Firm's premier Education Law Team and national education attorney advisor Joseph D. Lento serve middle and elementary school students coast to coast.
Critical Services of an Education Attorney Advisor
Elementary and middle school issues are more varied and common than many parents think. The issues are out there that can threaten your student's middle or elementary school placement. The question is how you and your student will address those issues when they arise. And the best possible thing you can do for your student's best possible outcome is to retain a skilled and experienced attorney advisor. The Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team doesn't just give you instructions, although parents can hugely value and benefit from an attorney advisor's strategic advice and guidance. The Lento Law Firm's Team also handles the critical tasks to protect your student's rights. Those services can include:
- answering the school's communications and charges, showing school officials that you take the matter seriously enough to have skilled representation on your side;
- invoking the school's disciplinary procedures so that you and your student get fair notice of the school's charges, discover the school's evidence, and get a fair hearing;
- communicating and negotiating with school officials for an early voluntary resolution preserving your student's enrollment and in-class placement while addressing the school's reasonable interests;
- helping you gather and present documentation, diagnoses, and testimony proving your student's need and right to continued enrollment with peers in class;
- presenting and advocating the federal and state law grounds on which the school should or must retain your student with appropriate accommodations so that your student benefits from the education; and
- appeal any adverse decisions already made and actions already taken, while negotiating with the district's general counsel or retained counsel for alternative special relief.
Education Attorney Representation on Behavioral Issues
Middle and elementary school students can face a range of behavioral issues. Some of those behavioral issues may arise in the form of academic misconduct charges, such as exam and assignment cheating, lying about coursework, or helping other students cheat. Other behavioral issues may involve allegations of personal misconduct like fighting, disrupting class, teacher disrespect, smoking or vaping, pornography viewing or sharing, and sexual harassment or assault. Other behavioral allegations may involve property damage, property theft, unauthorized computer use, or trespass. Middle and elementary schools generally have elaborate student codes of conduct, the violation of which can result in severe discipline. When your student faces behavioral misconduct charges, the Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team may, in addition to the above general services, help you and your student:
- prove the allegations to be false or exaggerated, based on your advisor's investigation and the evidence your advisor collects and presents, while disputing the credibility of the school's evidence;
- show the school's responsibility for contributing to your student's conduct, such as the school's failure to accommodate disabilities, prevent bullying, and provide a safe and supportive learning environment;
- prove circumstances mitigating the charges and any discipline, based on your student's medical, physical, mental, emotional, and social condition and circumstances; and
- propose alternative remedial relief such as diagnosis, treatment, medication, counseling, or remedial training or education, to preserve your student's placement.
No matter your location around the nation, the Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team is ready to help you and your student with these and other critical services.
Education Attorney Representation on Progress Issues
Middle and elementary school students can also face issues with their failure to academically progress. Repeated failures, tardiness, and absences could lead the school to hold your student back a grade or multiple grades, move your student to a special classroom or alternative school, or suspend and dismiss your student in favor of remote or home education. In those circumstances, the Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team may, in addition to the above general services, help you and your student:
- show your student's need for a disability evaluation, disability diagnosis, and disability accommodations to improve academic progress;
- stop bullying, improve student or teacher relationships, and alter the educational assignments or environment better support, challenge, and guide your student; and
- develop and implement a mentoring, tutoring, or other remediation plan in lieu of discipline, while agreeing to monitoring and further adjustments as necessary in an interactive dialogue serving your student's best interests.
Education Attorney Representation on Disability Issues
Middle and elementary school students also face issues dealing with undiagnosed learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities that the school has a duty to diagnose and accommodate. Schools may also fail to provide accommodations that they may know your student needs and by law deserves. Federal law requires the school to conduct a manifestation determination before imposing any discipline that would affect a disabled student's individualized education plan terms and placement. Your retained attorney advisor can help you and your student ensure that the school respects your student's disability rights and provides appropriate accommodations rather than disciplining for the unaccommodated disability's manifestation. Get the skilled and experienced Lento Law Firm Education Law Team help your student needs to thrive once again in middle or elementary school, after facing school issues or misconduct charges.
Premier Education Attorney Advisors Available Nationwide
The Lento Law Firm's premier Education Law Team and national education attorney advisor Joseph D. Lento are available nationwide to help you and your middle or elementary school student address school discipline and related issues. They have helped hundreds of students nationwide successfully address academic progress issues and defend misconduct charges. Call 888.535.3686 or go online now for the skilled and experienced attorney advisor defense representation your middle or elementary student needs to address serious school issues.
