Dr. David Jacobs
Margate, NJ 08402
Office: 609-402-1200
David Jacobs, Ed.D., is a nationally recognized expert in special education, IDEA compliance, and Section 504.
With experience as a Principal, Director of Special Services, Supervisor of Special Education, and Child Study Team leader, he brings deep practical and administrative insight to complex legal matters. Dr. Jacobs has overseen districtwide special education programs, LRE compliance, IEP development, evaluations, staff training, and systemic reform. He is a published author, certified school administrator, and Handle With Care trainer, with advanced legal training through UConn’s School Law program. He provides clear, evidence-based expert analysis in cases involving negligence, abuse, procedural violations, and program adequacy.
I am a K–12 special education expert with over a decade of administrative leadership specializing in school abuse, inappropriate restraints, autism services, and IDEA/IEP compliance. My career includes serving as a Director of Special Services, Child Study Team Supervisor, and now incoming High School Principal. I bring a deep, practitioner-level understanding of how districts must legally operate—and where compliance often breaks down.
I have been retained in more than 18 cases nationwide on both plaintiff and defense sides, offering a balanced and credible perspective in matters involving physical abuse of autistic students, improper restraints and seclusion, negligent supervision, denial of FAPE, and systemic failures in special education programming. My work has contributed to major outcomes, including a high-profile case involving five autistic students that resulted in the maximum settlement allowed under state law.
My expert work spans Kentucky, New York, West Virginia, Connecticut, Ohio, and New Jersey, where I have provided testimony, written expert reports, conducted district audits, evaluated IEP implementation, reviewed restraint logs, analyzed staff training records, and assessed administrative oversight. Attorneys retain me because I combine legal understanding with real-world leadership experience, allowing me to quickly identify compliance failures, policy gaps, and systemic issues.
What distinguishes me from other experts is that I have directly led the departments and systems that often become the focus of litigation. I understand how decisions are documented, how investigations should be conducted, and what compliant practice looks like from both an educational and legal perspective. This insider knowledge enables me to deliver clear, defensible, and objective analysis that strengthens an attorney’s case—whether representing the plaintiff or the defense.
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Child Abuse
- Disability
- Education & Schools
- School Safety
- School Security
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Degrees & Academic Credentials
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) – Educational Leadership
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Educational Administration
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Secondary Education – History, with a Special Education Endorsement
Educational Law Certificate – University of Connecticut (UConn)
Professional Licensure (New Jersey)
Principal Certification – NJDOE
Supervisor Certification – NJDOE
Director of Special Services / Child Study Team Certification – NJDOE
Teacher of Students with Disabilities (TOSD) – NJDOE
Teacher of Secondary Education (History) – NJDOE
Specialized Training & Certificates
Extensive Expert Witness Training & Experience in Special Education, including IDEA, Section 504, inappropriate restraint, and school abuse cases
Graduate Coursework in School Law
Restraint/Seclusion & Crisis Intervention Training
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Compliance Training
Section 504 Compliance Training
Title IX Awareness & Compliance Training
Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Compliance Training – New Jersey
School Climate & Safety Leadership Training
Unified Sports / Special Olympics Leadership Training
Affirmative Action Officer Certification/Training – NJDOE/EEO
- Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)
New Jersey Principals & Supervisors Association (NJPSA)
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE)
ASCD – Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
National School Boards Association (NSBA) – Special Education & Legal Issues Divisions
New Jersey Special Education Advisory Groups (including your own SEPAC leadership at Mainland)
Unified Champion Schools / Special Olympics New Jersey – Leadership & Coaching Member - Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: Instructor / Guest Lecturer – University of Connecticut (School Law Program)
Topics: IDEA, Section 504, FAPE, restraint/seclusion, discipline, and due-process procedures.
Professional Development Trainer – K–12 School Districts (NJ, KY, WV, CT)
Topics:
IEP development & compliance
Special education law (IDEA/504)
McKinney-Vento & homeless student protections
Behavior, crisis response, and inappropriate restraint prevention
School climate, safety, and HIB compliance
Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS)
Equity, inclusion, and civil rights in schools - Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: No
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: 15
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Inappropriate Restraint & Seclusion
Evaluation of crisis response practices, misuse of physical restraint, staff training deficiencies, and impact on students with disabilities—especially autistic students.
Special Education Program & District-Level Analysis
Comprehensive review of district systems, staffing, compliance structures, academic outcomes, and alignment with IDEA and state regulations.
IEP Review & Compliance Evaluation
Analysis of IEP development, service implementation, progress monitoring, LRE decisions, procedural safeguards, and whether the district provided FAPE.
Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Investigations & Compliance
Review of school responses to HIB allegations, adequacy of investigations, adherence to New Jersey’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act, timelines, reporting requirements, and administrative oversight.
School Climate, Safety, and Abuse Investigations
Examination of student abuse, neglect, unsafe classrooms, culture concerns, and systemic failures in protecting vulnerable student populations.
Special Programs & Services Audits
Audits of Autism programs, behavior programs, related service delivery, Child Study Team operations, and specialized instructional models.
Administrative & Leadership Practices Review
Evaluation of district decision-making, supervision, communication, discipline procedures, and compliance with statutory duties.
McKinney-Vento, Section 504, and Civil Rights Compliance
Review of district adherence to federal protections, eligibility determinations, accommodations, and procedural safeguarding. - Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: 60 percent retained by plaintiff
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: 40 percent retained by defendent
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: 4
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: November 2025
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: 4
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: 4
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: 3
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Expert Witness Services
Case review and analysis
Written expert reports
Rebuttal reports
Deposition and trial testimony
Record review (IEPs, evaluations, disciplinary files, HIB reports, restraint logs, audits, etc.)
Special Education Consulting
IEP compliance review
FAPE determinations
Program evaluations (Autism programs, behavior programs, related services, CST operations)
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) analysis
Behavioral intervention and restraint/seclusion practice review
School & District Audits
Comprehensive special education audits
Child Study Team process audits
McKinney-Vento compliance audits
HIB investigation process reviews
Administrative and leadership practice evaluations
School Climate, Safety, and Abuse Investigations
Review of classrooms and program environments
Analysis of staff conduct, supervision, and training
Evaluation of abuse/neglect allegations or systemic failures
Site Inspections & On-Site Evaluations
Classroom observations
Program assessments
Facility walkthroughs
Review of programmatic and environmental safety concerns
Data & Performance Analysis
Academic outcome analysis
Comparative district performance studies
Staffing and scheduling review
Service delivery compliance analysis
Training & Professional Development
School Law / IDEA / Section 504
IEP development and implementation
Restraint/seclusion and crisis response
HIB compliance and investigation standards
School climate, culture, and leadership development
Parent, Attorney, and District Support
Case consultation
Strategy development
Document and data review
Expert-informed guidance on dispute resolution and due process preparation
Available Upon Request