Settlement Reached After Parents File Federal Complaint Against Providence Schools Over Special Ed

Settlement Reached After Parents File Federal Complaint Against Providence Schools Over Special Ed

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), the ACLU of RI, and the RI Center for Justice announced that an agreement was reached settling the federal class action complaint recently filed by Parents Leading for Educational Equity (PLEE) and three children and their parents which alleged that the Providence Public School Department (PPSD) failed to timely provide evaluation, special education, and related services to preschool students.  

The settlement agreement was reached following a mediation led by United States District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy.

According to the ACLU, the parties have agreed to a process and series of steps, generally based on actions and efforts underway by the District, to achieve timely and permanent compliance with evaluations and delivery of education services.

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These include: parents and children with Individual Education Plans will receive a series of notices starting immediately informing them about assignments and services available to them; PPSD is adding evaluation teams to help speed up the evaluation process; and parents who are awaiting evaluations are also being notified of their ability to secure them at PPSD’s expense.

The parties have also agreed that an external monitor appointed by the Court will monitor compliance of the parties’ agreement and provide monthly reports detailing PPSD’s progress in complying with applicable legal deadlines for providing the student evaluations and special education services through October 1, 2024.