On January 18, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a special education case that could alter the course of the dispute resolution process for school districts under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 

In the case, Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, justices will decide whether individuals who have already entered into an IDEA settlement resolving their claims must still exhaust the administrative process before pursuing a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

During the arguments, the justices wrestled with how to reconcile the requirements to receive monetary damages under ADA with the resolution process and relief provided under IDEA, which does not include financial remedies. 

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