A recent NPR report details the experience of a child with disabilities in California who has missed days and days of school because her school district has been unable to provide her the dedicated, one-on-one aide she is guaranteed. Her mother says the school district is in a special education staffing crisis.
“All of October and all of November, there was no school because there was no aide,” the girl’s mother told NPR.
This story in California is likely not unique. According to a National Center for Education Statistics report, 34 percent of public schools report that their special education departments feel understaffed. Special education ties with custodial departments as the areas feeling the most understaffed.
Without vital staff and consistent support, students with disabilities can miss out on critical educational and social development. And now, the dismantling of the Department of Education raises even more questions on how the rights of students with disabilities will be ensured in public schools across the country.
The attorneys at Kennedy Hunt P.C. exclusively represent students and families in the education law cases we take on. Our recent filings include many alleged human rights violations against the Missouri Department of Social Services and school districts across Missouri and Illinois.
Read more about our cases here. If you or someone you know has been a victim of disability discrimination, the skilled attorneys at Kennedy Hunt, P.C. can help. Fill out a questionnaire so we can understand your claim.