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Parents and advocates allege special‑education shortfalls and punitive litigation at Seminole County schools
Summary
Multiple parents, advocates and a local commissioner used the public comment period to accuse the district of withholding services, restricting programs used by special‑education students, and spending taxpayer funds on litigation against families; board cited meeting policy limiting comment on active litigation.
A string of parents, advocates and community members told the Seminole County Public Schools board on March 11 that the district is failing students with special needs, removing supports and using taxpayer funds for litigation against families, while board leadership repeatedly invoked meeting policy to limit comments about active cases.
Why it matters: Public commenters — including parents of medically complex students and disability advocates — alleged that program cuts and policy choices harm students’ access to instruction and medical accommodations and that families face retaliation when they complain. The board’s limits on discussing active litigation curtailed some speakers’ remarks and drew additional public criticism.
Speakers raised multiple complaints: removal or reduction of behavior and curriculum support teams (BCST), restricted access to the reading intervention program Reading Eggs for some learners, denials of medically…
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