Section 56501 Of Chapter 5. Procedural Safeguards From California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 30. >> Chapter 5.
56501
. (a) The due process hearing procedures prescribed by this
chapter extend to the parent or guardian, as defined in Section
56028, a pupil who has been emancipated, and a pupil who is a ward or
dependent of the court or for whom no parent or guardian can be
identified or located when the hearing officer determines that either
the local educational agency has failed to appoint a surrogate
parent as required by Section 7579.5 of the Government Code or the
surrogate parent appointed by the local educational agency does not
meet the criteria set forth in subdivision (f) of Section 7579.5 of
the Government Code, and the public agency involved in any decisions
regarding a pupil. The appointment of a surrogate parent after a
hearing has been requested by the pupil shall not be cause for
dismissal of the hearing request. The parent or guardian and the
public agency involved may initiate the due process hearing
procedures prescribed by this chapter under any of the following
circumstances:
(1) There is a proposal to initiate or change the identification,
assessment, or educational placement of the child or the provision of
a free appropriate public education to the child.
(2) There is a refusal to initiate or change the identification,
assessment, or educational placement of the child or the provision of
a free appropriate public education to the child.
(3) The parent or guardian refuses to consent to an assessment of
the child.
(4) There is a disagreement between a parent or guardian and a
local educational agency regarding the availability of a program
appropriate for the child, including the question of financial
responsibility, as specified in Section 300.148 of Title 34 of the
Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) The due process hearing rights prescribed by this chapter
include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1) The right to a mediation conference pursuant to Section
56500.3.
(2) The right to request a mediation conference at any point
during the hearing process. The mediation process is not to be used
to deny or delay a parent's or guardian's right to a due process
hearing, or to deny any other rights afforded under this part, or
under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20
U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.). Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section
56500.3, attorneys and advocates are permitted to participate in
mediation conferences scheduled after the filing of a request for due
process hearing.
(3) The right to examine pupil records pursuant to Section 56504.
This provision shall not be construed to abrogate the rights
prescribed by Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 49060) of Part 27.
(4) The right to a fair and impartial administrative hearing at
the state level, before a person knowledgeable in the laws governing
special education and administrative hearings, under contract with
the department, pursuant to Section 56505.
(c) In addition to the rights prescribed by subdivision (b), the
parent or guardian has the following rights:
(1) The right to have the pupil who is the subject of the state
hearing present at the hearing.
(2) The right to open the state hearing to the public.