NY Times: Parents Battle School Districts for Special Support

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Parents Battle School Districts for Special SupportBy TREY BUNDYhttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/20/education/20bcspecialneeds.htmlIn October, after months of anxiety, Caroline Barwick and her husband, Huerta, celebrated the arrival of their son Sebastian’s third birthday.It was the day the San Francisco Unified School District became legally responsible for addressing Sebastian’s severe autism.Ms. Barwick and Mr. Huerta met with school clinicians to discuss their son’s education and treatment. But the meeting did not go as they had hoped — the district offered Sebastian fewer than half of the therapeutic services recommended by three private doctors and did not offer a choice of schools.“You’re reeling from what’s already been a tragic diagnosis,” Ms. Barwick said, “then it’s almost like you’re slapped across the face.”The couple took legal action against the district. Last week, an administrative law judge criticized the district for its handling of the case and ordered it to reimburse Sebastian’s parents for about $55,000 they spent on his therapy and education during the dispute.Ms. Barwick and Mr. Huerta are part of a growing number of parents of special-needs children who are battling the school district over federally mandated support..... __