Pennsylvania Education Lawyers

When a school, district, or university fails a student, families need Pennsylvania education lawyers who understand both the state's administrative system and the federal law layered on top of it. At Ratliff Jackson LLP, we represent students and parents across the range of education law: special education and Section 504, school discipline, Title IX, bullying and discrimination, higher education proceedings, and the records and civil rights disputes that surround them. Education matters move on short deadlines and through unfamiliar procedures, and the earlier a family has counsel, the more can be done.

Special Education and Section 504 Representation

Special education is the core of our education practice. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, every child with a qualifying disability is entitled to a free appropriate public education. Pennsylvania implements that guarantee through 22 Pa. Code Chapter 14 for special education and Chapter 15 for protected handicapped students under Section 504. These rules govern evaluations, eligibility, the individualized education program, and the process for challenging a district's decisions.

When a dispute cannot be resolved informally, Pennsylvania routes it through the Office for Dispute Resolution, which administers mediation and due process hearings, while the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Bureau of Special Education handles state complaints. A due process hearing is conducted by an impartial hearing officer, and parents have the right to be represented by counsel, to review the records the district relies on, and to present and cross-examine witnesses. We represent families through evaluations and eligibility disputes, IEP and FAPE disputes, least restrictive environment claims, 504 plan compliance, private placement reimbursement, and transition planning, at every stage from the resolution session through the hearing and any appeal to state or federal court.

School Discipline: Suspension and Expulsion

Pennsylvania student discipline is governed by 22 Pa. Code Chapter 12 and the Public School Code, 24 P.S. § 13-1318, which set the procedures a district must follow before excluding a student from school. The rules distinguish two categories, and the protections differ:

• Suspension is exclusion for one to ten consecutive school days. A student must be told the reasons and given a chance to respond, and where a suspension will exceed a short period the student is entitled to an informal hearing with the principal, generally offered within the first days of the suspension.
• Expulsion is exclusion for more than ten school days and can be permanent. Every expulsion requires a prior formal hearing before the school board or an appointed hearing examiner, with the right to counsel, to present evidence, and to cross-examine witnesses. A student facing expulsion also retains the right to seek review in the Commonwealth's courts.

For students with disabilities, additional protections apply. Before a removal that amounts to a change in placement, the district must conduct a manifestation determination to decide whether the conduct was a result of the disability, and disciplinary placements are governed by the special education rules rather than the general discipline code. We defend students in suspension and expulsion proceedings, challenge procedural violations, and pursue reinstatement and record-clearing remedies.

Bullying and Harassment

Pennsylvania law, at 24 P.S. § 13-1303.1-A, requires every school entity to adopt a bullying policy and incorporate it into its code of student conduct. That policy framework is narrower than the standards in some neighboring states, but it is not the only source of protection. When harassment is tied to a protected characteristic such as disability, sex, race, or religion, it can also implicate Title IX, Section 504, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. We evaluate each incident under both the district's own policy and the broader civil rights framework, because the strongest claims often arise outside the bullying policy itself.

Discrimination and Civil Rights in Education

When a school crosses into unlawful discrimination, retaliation, or a constitutional violation, the remedies extend beyond the administrative system. We bring claims under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and the federal civil rights statutes that govern schools, including Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504, as well as 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for the deprivation of constitutional rights. These cases hold institutions accountable where internal processes have failed a student.

Higher Education and Title IX

Education law does not end at graduation. College and university students face their own proceedings, from academic integrity charges to Title IX investigations to disciplinary actions that can threaten a degree and a career. These matters run on institutional rules and short internal deadlines, sometimes only a few days to file an appeal. We represent students in campus disciplinary and Title IX proceedings, prepare them for questioning, and build the procedural record that supports an appeal or, where warranted, a court challenge.

Student Records, Privacy, and Parental Rights

Parents and eligible students have enforceable rights to access and correct education records. Under FERPA, families can inspect records and request correction of inaccurate or misleading entries, and Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law provides a separate route to records held by public agencies. When a district improperly withholds records or refuses to correct them, those decisions can be challenged. We help families obtain records, contest improper denials, and remove inaccurate disciplinary notations from a student's file.

Why Families Work With Ratliff Jackson LLP

Both systems, one firm. Education disputes run through administrative bodies like the Office for Dispute Resolution and, when necessary, the courts. We handle both, from a records request through a due process hearing to litigation.

K-12 and college. Our practice spans the full range, from an IEP dispute in elementary school to a Title IX appeal at a university.

Direct communication. These matters are stressful and time-sensitive. Families know where their case stands and what the next step is.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Resources

If your matter arises in New Jersey rather than Pennsylvania, see our New Jersey education lawyers page, which covers that state's distinct special education code and dispute process. For student-side resources on the issues that cross state lines, see our work on Title IX representation, academic dishonesty defense, and student appeals. The full scope of the firm's work is on our practice areas page.

Resources

Primary legal sources referenced on this page:

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – Federal special education law guaranteeing a free appropriate public education
• Pennsylvania Office for Dispute Resolution – State system for special education mediation, due process, and complaints
• 22 Pa. Code Chapter 12 – Pennsylvania student rights and school discipline procedures
• FERPA – Federal law governing the privacy and correction of education records