At great risk of being left behind

Our mission to remove barriers for Special Education students has led to another inspiring success story. KC, an 11-year-old student facing significant speech and language challenges, has overcome numerous obstacles with the support of dedicated advocates and specialists.

KC has severe delays in her receptive and expressive language skills, along with needs in perceptual motor and emotional areas. She struggles significantly with reading, writing, and mathematics, requiring full-time individualized instruction and recommended sign language. Despite her chronological age placing her in fourth grade, KC was functioning at a kindergarten academic level and was not making academic progress.

Her father sought help from Puerto Rico Legal Services, concerned that an evaluation for Apraxia of Speech (AOS) had not been considered in her Individualized Education Program (IEP). AOS is a neurological disorder affecting the brain pathways involved in planning the sequence of movements required for speech. He was also interested in exploring public placement options for the 2024-2025 school year.

Our Special Education Specialist and Humacao’s Direct Service Center staff attorney joined the IEP team meeting with KC's father, where the evaluation for apraxia was discussed and accepted. Since the school could not provide apraxia therapy, a provisional remedy was offered. However, weeks passed without services being provided, and the IEP was not amended, delaying access to necessary support. It was determined that KC required sign language services to benefit from the learning process and achieve academic progress.

After several meetings and persistent follow-ups, the IEP team agreed on the appropriate placement and location for KC, including the assignment of a T2 service assistant to be her sign language interpreter. However, when her father visited the new school to complete her enrollment, he discovered that KC was not enrolled at the designated school.

T2 service assistants address the specific needs of students, providing sign language assistance and interpreter services, among other supports. Due to the lack of appointments by the Department of Education, a complaint was filed to ensure the provision of the T2 services assistant as agreed upon by the IEP team.

Following additional meetings and visits to public schools, a suitable school was identified with a group of eight students, a special education teacher with a modified curriculum, and group assistants. The IEP was amended to provide KC with a sign language teacher rather than a service assistant (T2). KC now receives sign language instruction five times a week and works more independently with the support of a group assistant.

As we continue to defend the rights of Special Education students, we thank you for helping us meet these challenges and achieve success stories like KC's.