Section 169-C:20 Disposition of a Child With a Disability.
I. At any point during the proceedings, the court may, either on its own motion or that of any other person, and if the court contemplates a residential placement, the court shall immediately, join the legally liable school district for the limited purposes of directing the school district to determine whether the child is a child with a disability or of directing the school district to review the services offered or provided under RSA 186-C if the child had already been determined to be a child with a disability. If the court orders the school district to determine whether the minor is a child with a disability, the school district shall make this determination by treating the order as the equivalent of a referral by the child's parent for special education, and shall conduct any team meetings or evaluations that are required under law when a school district receives a referral by a child's parent.
II. Once joined as a party, the legally liable school district shall have full access to all records maintained by the district court under this chapter. The school district shall also report to the court its determination of whether the minor is a child with a disability, and the basis for such determination. If the child is determined to be a child with a disability, the school district shall make a recommendation to the court as to where the child's educational needs can be met in accordance with state and federal education laws. In cases where the court does not follow the school district's recommendation, the court shall issue written findings explaining why the recommendation was not followed.
III. If the school district finds or has found that the child is a child with a disability, or if it is found that the child is a child with a disability on appeal from the school district's decision in accordance with the due process procedures of RSA 186-C, the school district shall offer an appropriate educational program and placement in accordance with RSA 186-C. Financial liability for such education program shall be as determined in RSA 186-C:19-b.
IV. In an administrative due process hearing conducted by the department of education pursuant to RSA 186-C, a school district shall not provide a hearing officer with information from or copies of records maintained by the court which the school district has accessed pursuant to paragraph II of this section, unless the court issues an order authorizing such a release by the school district in accordance with the following:
(a) A school district seeking such authorization shall file a motion with the court describing the need for the disclosure in the department of education proceeding, with copies delivered to all parties on the same day the motion is filed with the court;
(b) A motion filed by a school district under this provision shall include, on a separate sheet of paper, the following statement in bold typeface: ""Persons subject to juvenile proceedings have important rights to the confidentiality of juvenile court proceedings. This motion requests the disclosure of some of that information. If you object to the disclosure of information, you must file a written objection with the court no later than 10 days after the filing of the school district's notice. If you fail to object in writing, the court may allow private information to be revealed to the New Hampshire Department of Education hearing officer.''; and
(c) Any objection by a party shall be filed with the court no later than 10 days after the filing of the school district's notice with the court, unless such time is extended by the court for good cause.
V. The court shall schedule an expedited hearing on the matter to determine if such information may be released. The court may rule without a hearing if there is no objection filed or if the school district and a parent or legal guardian or the juvenile, if he or she has reached the age of majority, agree in writing to waive a hearing. In determining whether to authorize the disclosure of the information requested by the school district, the court shall balance the importance of disclosure of the records to a fair and accurate determination of the merits against the privacy interests of the parties to the proceedings, and render a written decision setting forth its findings and rulings. No information released to a hearing officer pursuant to this paragraph shall be disclosed to any other person or entity without the written permission of the court, the child's parent or legal guardian, or the juvenile if he or she has reached the age of majority, except that any court reviewing an administrative due process hearing on appeal shall have access to the same information released to a hearing officer pursuant to this paragraph.
VI. In this section, ""child with a disability'' shall be as defined in RSA 186-C.
Source. 1979, 361:2. 1983, 458:2. 1986, 223:13. 1987, 402:22. 1990, 140:2, X, eff. June 18, 1990. 2008, 274:10, eff. July 1, 2008.