§ 303.444 Hearing rights.

(a) General. Any party to a hearing conducted pursuant to §§ 303.440 through 303.445, or an appeal conducted pursuant to § 303.446, has the right to—

(1) Be accompanied and advised by counsel and by individuals with special knowledge or training with respect to the problems of infants or toddlers with disabilities;

(2) Present evidence and confront, cross-examine, and compel the attendance of witnesses;

(3) Prohibit the introduction of any evidence at the hearing that has not been disclosed to that party at least five business days before the hearing;

(4) Obtain a written or, at the option of the parents, electronic, verbatim record of the hearing; and

(5) Obtain written or, at the option of the parents, electronic findings of fact and decisions.

(b) Additional disclosure of information.

(1) At least five business days prior to a hearing conducted pursuant to § 303.443(a), each party must disclose to all other parties all evaluations completed by that date and recommendations based on the offering party's evaluations that the party intends to use at the hearing.

(2) A hearing officer may bar any party that fails to comply with paragraph (b)(1) of this section from introducing the relevant evaluation or recommendation at the hearing without the consent of the other party.

(c) Parental rights at hearings. Parents involved in hearings must—

(1) Be given the right to open the hearing to the public; and

(2) Receive a copy of the record of the hearing and the findings of fact and decisions described in paragraphs (a)(4) and (a)(5) of this section at no cost.