Impartial Hearing Decisions
The Due Process Unit within the New York State Education Department’s Office of Special Education (OSE) oversees and monitors New York State’s special education due process hearing system as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). At the conclusion of a special education due process hearing (also known as an impartial hearing), an impartial hearing officer (IHO) issues a final written decision. Within 15 days of mailing the decision to the parties, the IHO is required to submit the decision to OSE with all personally identifiable information deleted in accordance with the guidelines provided by the commissioner of education.
The requirements of the IDEA and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibit the release of personal information in any form that would make a student’s identity easily traceable. Final written decisions are made available to the public on the OSE website as well as to the Commissioner's Advisory Panel for Special Education Services. All personally identifiable information has been removed from the decisions.
Decisions issued from 2018 on are grouped into two categories: New York City and Rest of State. Decisions issued prior to 2018 encompass All of State. Clicking on a link will direct you to the list of impartial hearing decisions issued during that year.