Under IDEA, when may the district's attorney attend the resolution meeting?

• A. Always; the attorney can attend without restriction.
• B. Never; the district's attorney cannot attend.
• C. Only if the district and the parent both agree beforehand.
• D. Only if the parent has an attorney at the meeting.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that attendance by the district’s attorney at the resolution meeting is tied to whether the parent has legal representation. The resolution meeting is meant to be a collaborative step to resolve issues without going to a due-process hearing, with the district’s decision-maker present to discuss options. The district’s attorney may participate only if the parent is represented by an attorney at the meeting. This ensures both sides have similar access to legal information and helps keep the discussion balanced. If the parent does not have counsel, the district’s attorney should not attend, while a district representative with decision-making authority remains to participate in the discussion.