U.S. Supreme Court to hear autism education case

Post Reply New Topic

I have a friend who reads the Denver Post regularly and she clued me in on this article. It could have a major impact on members in the USA still in K-12.

link:http://www.denverpost.com/2016/09/29/supreme-court-douglas-county-student-disabilities-case/

Last week, parents and teachers of children with disabilities applauded a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that held, with force and specificity, that students with autism and other disabilities must receive an education plan that gives them a fighting chance to succeed.

The court's Endrew F. decision immediately affects millions of students and their families, with school districts already in the thick of their annual rite of developing Individualized Education Programs, as required under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for a unanimous court, found that school districts must address each student's unique needs and capacity to make progress — "appropriately ambitious" as weighed against their unique circumstances.

Wrote Justice Roberts: "When all is said and done, a student offered an educational program providing ‘merely more than de minimis’ progress from year to year can hardly be said to have been offered an education at all … receiving instruction that aims so low would be tantamount to ‘sitting idly ... awaiting the time when they were old enough to “drop out.” ’ ”

It will
by Gary Myerson Autism Rights Attorney