Jennifer King will argue over the next several weeks to keep her third-grade son, Christopher, who has Down syndrome, included in a regular classroom for the entire school day. The special education hearing will take place in West Shore School District, PA. King believes there are more ways to modify her son’s curriculum within a mainstream classroom and that doing so gives him a better chance of success after schooling. “It is almost inevitable that the expectations drop when the child is moved to a special education classroom,” King said. “My son’s capability could be far, far greater than anybody can imagine right now. I’m careful not to limit what the possibilities would be for him.”
Perry Zirkel, an education and law professor at Lehigh University and a special education expert, said due process hearings have increased nationally over the last two decades, a trend mirrored in Pennsylvania. He said the state ranks among the 10 most litigious in the nation in special education. King will argue to keep her son included in a regular classroom for the entire school day. The district wants to put him in a special education class for two subjects each day.
Parents routinely spend several thousand dollars on attorney’s fees and expert witnesses for a due process hearing that usually spans several days over the course of weeks. Districts can spend as much or more per case for attorneys to review and draft documents, prepare witnesses and see the disagreement through the legal proceeding.
For more, see pennlive.com.
