§ 303.445 Hearing decisions.

(a) Decision of hearing officer. (1) Subject to paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a hearing officer's determination of whether an infant or toddler was appropriately identified, evaluated, or placed, or whether the infant or toddler with a disability and his or her family were appropriately provided early intervention services under part C of the Act, must be based on substantive grounds. (2) In matters alleging a procedural violation, a hearing officer may find that a child was not appropriately identified, evaluated, placed, or provided early intervention services under part C of the Act only if the procedural inadequacies— (i) Impeded the child's right to identification, evaluation, and placement or provision of early intervention services for the child and that child's family under part C of the Act; (ii) Significantly impeded the parent's opportunity to participate in the decision-making process regarding identification, evaluation, placement or provision of early intervention services for the child and that child's family under part C of the Act; or (iii) Caused a deprivation of educational or developmental benefit. (3) Nothing in paragraph (a) of this section precludes a hearing officer from ordering the lead agency or EIS provider to comply with procedural requirements under §§ 303.400 through 303.449. (b) Construction clause. Nothing in §§ 303.440 through 303.445 affects the right of a parent to file an appeal of the due process hearing decision with the lead agency under § 303.446(b), if the lead agency level appeal is available. (c) Separate due process complaint. Nothing in §§ 303.440 through 303.449 precludes a parent from filing a separate due process complaint on an issue separate from a due process complaint already filed. (d) Findings and decisions to general public. The lead agency, after deleting any personally identifiable information, must make the findings and decisions available to the public.