Indiana

Do 7,000 IPS Students Now Have a Choice?

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Although many legal scholars are paying attention to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision regarding the Voting Rights Act, there was another opinion today that could have a big impact on Indiana’s largest school district.

From the SCOTUS blog…

The U.S. Supreme Court today by a 6-3 vote ruled that parents of a disabled child, who decide on their own to transfer the child to a private school, are entitled to tuition reimbursement from the local school district even if the child had never received any special education aid previously.

If a public school fails to provide an adequate education for the child, the Court said in the opinion written by Justice John Paul Stevens, the parents are entitled to be repaid for the money they spend at a private school as an alternative.

(Forest Grove School District v. T.A., 08-305).

You can read the entire opinion here: Forest Grove School District v. T.A.

There are 6,897 students in IPS labelled as special education and I can’t help but wonder how many of them would be impacted by this decision should their parents choose to pursue their legal options.

Stay tuned.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on June 22, 2009 (boomark / email).