October Term 2007 · Docket 06-637
Can a school district deny a child a proper public placement and refuse to pay for private school tuition?
A family seeks tuition reimbursement after the district failed to provide a suitable public education for a child with a disability.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Koerner argued the 1985 decision relied on broad remedial clauses in federal law.
Mr. Gardephe stated IDEA authorizes tuition reimbursement when a child is denied a proper public education.
Mr. Garre contended the district cannot refuse both a proper public placement and private tuition payment.
Mr. Koerner clarified the law is a funding grant, not a constitutional requirement.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 29-3 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 29-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-9 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 33-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 5-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-9 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-9
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests whether a school district must pay for private school tuition when it fails to provide a free and appropriate public education.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-9 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 33-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 5-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 1, 2007.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-41
What each side wants
The district wants to avoid paying for the private school placement.
The family wants the district to reimburse the private school tuition.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-9 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 33-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 5-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
What each side says
The district argues the family must first accept a public placement, even if inadequate.
The family argues the district must pay for private school when it fails to provide a proper public education.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-9 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 33-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 5-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if the outcome changes if the child attended public school for only eleven days.
Justice Scalia questioned whether the advocate added new elements to the legal question.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 29-3 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 29-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-9 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-9
Why it matters
This dispute determines whether school districts can deny proper public education and refuse to fund private alternatives for disabled students.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-9 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 33-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 5-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 29-3 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 29-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-9 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-9
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-9 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 33-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 5-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-9 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 33-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 5-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.