Washington Post: D.C. Public Schools faces Education Dept. probe over disabilities services

Washington Post reporter Lauren Lumpkin reports on the U.S. Education Department’s investigation into D.C.’s public school system and how they are not meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

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Education advocates have also raised the alarm about special education rights in the District, most recently at a Feb. 27 council hearing about public schools.

“In our experience representing the parents of students with disabilities, too often DCPS families must fight tooth and nail to get their child the services and supports to which they are entitled under the [law],” Danielle Robinette, senior policy attorney at the Children’s Law Center, said in written testimony. She also referred to an analysis by the firm that found D.C. Public Schools loses most of the due process complaint cases it chooses to fully litigate.

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“We see this as a local issue and don’t believe a widespread federal investigation will improve outcomes for D.C. students,” said Judith Sandalow, chief executive of the Children’s Law Center. “We look forward to continuing to work with the District to address these long-standing problems.”

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