Jane, Toledo

I am a school psychologist working for Toledo Public Schools (TPS). I have seen numerous special education evaluations completed by charter schools that are out of compliance with state and federal law (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA). Charter schools routinely qualify children for special education services without completing a thorough assessment. I have had to complete reevaluations of children transferring from charter schools to TPS because their evaluations completed by the charter lacked the necessary data to determine eligibility for special education services. Many of these students get kicked out of the charters or are essentially forced to leave due to a lack of resources.

It is my opinion that charter schools are “evaluating” students for special education, qualifying them for services based on faulty/incomplete data, then kicking/pushing the students out after they receive the additional funding from the State (special ed students receive more per-pupil funding than their general education peers).

Parents, beware.