Burlington v. Department of Education of Massachusetts 1985

Can schools deny your child proper education without consequence? Burlington v. DOE 1985 changed everything.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS VIDEO- What the Burlington v. DOE 1985 Supreme Court case decided- How parents can win tuition reimbursement for private school- Why unilateral private placement carries financial risk for parents- How the "stay-put" provision protects students during disputes- What Burlington means for IEP quality and school accountability- How Burlington shaped decades of special education law under IDEAIn 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in School Committee of Burlington v. Department of Education of Massachusetts that parents have the right to be reimbursed for private school tuition when a public school fails to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The Court held that courts may order districts to pay for private placements if the public IEP is found inappropriate. This landmark ruling shifted accountability to school districts, strengthened parental rights in the IEP process, expanded equitable remedies under the Education of the Handicapped Act (now IDEA), and launched the Burlington-Carter doctrine that continues to shape special education litigation today.Learn more about Burlington v. Department of Education of Massachusetts 1985 by visiting:https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/26/burlington-v-department-of-education-of-massachusetts-1985/