The Wake County school system is going to have to come up with some more money to implement new programs as part of a settlement of a complaint over how it serves students with disabilities who receive lengthy suspensions.
In this July complaint, Advocates for Children's Services and attorney Mark Trustin had charged that Wake was failing to provide an appropriate alternative education to five students who missed 10 or more days due to suspensions in the 2011-12 school year.
Under this settlement agreement announced today, Wake will provide this summer a free, six-week program offering 60 hours of individualized services in math, literacy, reading, and social skills, via “in-person, live, direct instruction by a highly-qualified general and special education staff." This is open to any students with disabilities who received lengthy suspension in 2011-12, not just the five in the complaint.
One of ACS’ clients will receive an additional 190 hours of one-on-one, compensatory education.
Wake will also have to limit the use of inadequate, unsuccessful programs, create three new, alternative education programs for suspended students with disabilities, provide more information to parents and guardians and improve staff training, data collection, and program evaluation.
