Monday, June 22, 2009

Court Says Public Schools to Pay for Private

When a child with special needs is not getting what they require and deserve at their public school, what options do they have? Homeschooling, private school, or simply live with it. However, for many families, these are not easy options to work with. Now the courts are seeing this problem and giving these parents some light at the end of their tunnel.

Court says public must pay for private special ed


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court has ruled that parents of special education students who opt for private school instead of trying the public system cannot be barred from seeking public reimbursement for their tuition costs.

The court ruled 6-3 Monday in favor of a teenage boy from Oregon whose parents sought to force their local public school district to pay the $5,200 a month it cost to send their son to a private school.

Federal law calls for school districts to reimburse students or their families for education costs when public schools do not have services that address or fulfill the students' needs. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the nation's special education students are entitled to a "free and appropriate public education."

To read the rest of this AP Story, click here

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