Stephanie Lovett-Bowman, Monday, October 25, 2010 | Filed under: IDEA
The Michigan Department of Education has given the Detroit Public Schools a loud wake-up call. Citing persistent noncompliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Michigan Department of Education recently informed the Detroit Public Schools that it would be taking action to block $5 million in special education funding to the district. The penalty serves as a valuable reminder to school districts to consistently and effectively monitor their compliance with IDEA.
According Michigan ED, the Detroit Public Schools have failed to, among other things: monitor the district’s 7,000 disabled students’ progress, demonstrate that special education staff members are appropriately trained, and provide a list of qualified instructors, therapists, and social workers. The Detroit Public Schools’ problems were first identified in July 2008, and Michigan ED put the district under heightened scrutiny a year later when the district failed to show signs of improvement. The financial sanctions come as a last resort now that the district is still noncompliant, according to the Detroit News.
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