About Dr. David Jacobs
Special Education Expert Witness and School Leadership Professional
Inclusive Education Consultants is led by David Jacobs, Ed.D., a sitting comprehensive public high school principal, former Director of Special Services, certified School Safety Specialist, and former special education teacher with more than 15 years of experience in public education.
Dr. Jacobs provides independent educational analysis and expert witness services to plaintiff and defense counsel nationwide. His work involves complex matters concerning special education programming, IEP implementation, Section 504 access, school safety, student supervision, restraint and seclusion, educator misconduct, and administrative decision-making.
His opinions are grounded in the evidentiary record, accepted educational practices, and the realities of operating public school systems.
Current, Real-World School Leadership Experience
Unlike many educational experts who evaluate school practices only after leaving the field, Dr. Jacobs currently serves as the principal of a comprehensive public high school.
In that role, he is responsible for school operations, student safety, personnel supervision, instructional leadership, special education programming, discipline, crisis response, and administrative decision-making.
- This current operational experience allows Dr. Jacobs to evaluate not only what a school district documented, but also whether its actions were reasonable, responsive, and consistent with accepted educational and administrative practices.
Professional Background
Dr. Jacobs has served in progressively responsible educational roles, including:
- Special education teacher
- Special education supervisor
- Director of Special Services
- Principal of a comprehensive public high school
- School Safety Specialist
His experience includes oversight of special education evaluations, IEP development and implementation, placement decisions, inclusive programming, behavioral supports, related services, Section 504 plans, student safety procedures, personnel supervision, and district-level compliance systems.
This breadth of experience enables him to analyze individual student matters as well as broader administrative and systemic concerns.
Areas of Expertise
Dr. Jacobs evaluates matters involving:
- IEP development and implementation
- Denial of FAPE and educational benefit
- Compensatory education
- Least Restrictive Environment and placement
- Section 504 and ADA access
- Special education evaluations and eligibility
- Behavioral supports and intervention planning
- Restraint and seclusion practices
- School safety and student supervision
- Educator misconduct and boundary concerns
- Administrative notice and response
- Personnel oversight and progressive discipline
- Programmatic and systemic educational practices
Expert Witness Services for Attorneys
Dr. Jacobs is retained by both plaintiff and defense counsel to provide:
- Preliminary case assessment
- Independent review of educational records
- Analysis of school and district practices
- Expert reports and rebuttal analysis
- Depositions and administrative-hearing testimony
- Trial testimony
- Site visits and stakeholder interviews when appropriate
- Consultation during discovery and case preparation
Engagements frequently involve extensive educational records, complicated factual histories, disputed administrative decisions, allegations of systemic failures, and competing expert opinions.
Nationwide Services
Based in New Jersey, Dr. Jacobs accepts appropriate matters nationwide. He has been retained in cases involving IDEA, Section 504, IEP implementation, missed services, compensatory education, restraint and seclusion, school safety, student supervision, abuse allegations, and administrative response across multiple jurisdictions.
