Michael Bruno, as Parent, Guardian, and Next Friend of R. B., a Minor, et al. v. Northside Independent School District

This petition follows appeals from an impartial due process hearing pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in which the parents alleged a denial of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) because, inter alia, the school district failed to provide “comparable services” under the Act after a student transferred from out of state. In this case, the district reduced the student’s programming from a fullday to a half-day program. The question presented is whether such a reduction is consistent with the mandate that the school district provide “similar” or “equivalent” services, as set forth in guidance from the U.S. Education Department.