Complaint: Hartford Public School System ‘Completely Failed’ Students With Disabilities

Hartford public school system has "completely failed" special education students, according to a complaint filed at the Connecticut Department of Education this month. The legal advocates who penned the complaint said that students with disabilities get poor education at the city's alternative program New Visions.

Hartford Courant reports that lawyers from Greater Hartford Legal Aid and the Center for Children's Advocacy filed a complaint stating that the Hartford public school system has violated federal and state law for expelling and sending students with disabilities to New Visions, where they get poor-quality education. The legal advocates put the blame on the top city school officials for structuring New Visions into a "dysfunctional" and small-staffed program.

The lawyers alleged that Hartford's alternative program for students with disabilities has poor accountability, inconsistent classwork and negligible monitoring of the progress of the students. They cited one high school special education student who completely wasted his time and energy after he did not receive any grade, credit or report about his progress.

The advocates also claimed that the alternative program lacks certified special education teacher on staff and intensive help for students' behavioral issues. They also added that the educational rights of students with disabilities have been violated, as most of them are expelled and placed in New Visions without following legal protocols or involving their parents.

The lawyers, however, mentioned that the New Visions staff and some special education directors in Hartford are "caring and hardworking." They pointed out that the main problem of the program is its design and resources, and the lack of commitment of Hartford public school system to provide decent education for students with disabilities.

According to hartfordschools.org, Hartford's special education programming and support includeaccommodations and modifications of the general education curriculum and environment, coordinated transition activities, individualized goals and objectives, assistive technology, and related services. All services and supports can be availed by students who qualify under Hartford's Individualized Education Program.