The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today sent a letter to Chancellor Lewis Ferebee of the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) initiating a directed investigation to evaluate if the district is failing to meet the needs of students with special needs or disabilities.
“The Department of Education has a solemn responsibility to protect all students from discrimination, especially our most vulnerable,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “We will ensure schools are fulfilling their commitment to provide all students with equal access to educational opportunities and not placing unnecessary burdens on families to fight for special education services for their children to which they are entitled under law.”
Background:
In December 2024, the District of Columbia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found the school district has received more complaints per 10,000 students in the special education area than any other state or territory in the U.S. The report determined that the DCPS dispute resolution system places the burden of accessing special education services on students and their families and the “high rate of due process complaints warrants serious attention to explore why families are suing for the services that they are entitled to.” The report also detailed significant concerns about the DCPS transportation for special education students, including long delays, unreliable schedules, and lax oversight.
OCR will investigate whether DCPS is discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities or special needs in programs and activities that receive federal financial aid under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.