David Mongillo to Present at PBI’s Exceptional Children Conference

Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky Shareholder David J. Mongillo will serve as a faculty member at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s (PBI) Exceptional Children Conference on October 30, 2026, at Central Penn College.

David will co-present “Mental Health, School Avoidance, and Act 47’s Cyber Charter Enrollment Barriers.”

The session will explore the legal challenges that arise when students experience chronic absenteeism related to anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. David and Jonathan will discuss school districts’ special education responsibilities, including Child Find and Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) obligations, as well as Act 47 of 2025’s new judicial approval requirements for cyber charter enrollment by habitually truant students.

Attendees will gain practical guidance on documenting the connection between disabilities and school attendance, navigating the judicial approval process, and advising families on cyber charter enrollment options.

Presented in partnership with the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Legal Services for Exceptional Children Committee, the conference brings together attorneys, hearing officers, advocates, educators, and parents to discuss important developments and challenges in special education law.

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