Wissahickon district discloses two special-education settlements, to be voted Nov. 3

The Wissahickon School District administration told the board Oct. 27 that two special-education settlement agreements — for $46,292 and $40,650 — will be presented for approval at the boards next public meeting on Nov. 3.

The district said the agreements were negotiated between counsel for the families and counsel for the district and were reviewed by the board in executive session. "We cannot disclose the substance of these agreements publicly as, these agreements are covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act," a district staff member said during the meeting.

Board members and staff did not describe the underlying claims, the students involved or the terms of the settlements; the administration said that is required by the federal privacy law commonly called FERPA. The board briefed members on the process and said the motion to approve the settlement terms will be placed on the Nov. 3 consent agenda for a public vote.

The district did not identify who will make the motions or provide a draft motion text during Oct. 27's meeting. No votes were taken on Oct. 27; the settlements were presented only as items the board will consider next week.

Why this matters: Special-education settlements can result from disputes over services required by students' individualized education programs. Local school boards commonly approve settlements that include monetary payments and service changes, but federal privacy protections often limit public discussion of the students and specific supports involved.

What the board said: During the Oct. 27 meeting a district staff member said, "The board has been updated by the administration in this process, and the board is aware of the settlement proceed the settlement, terms and, are supporting moving forward, but we cannot have a community and or board public discussion on the subject." That statement echoed the district's repeated position that the content is confidential under FERPA.

Next steps: The board will consider formal motions to approve the two settlement agreements at its Nov. 3 regular meeting. The administration did not provide additional documentation at Oct. 27 about the settlements beyond the two dollar amounts disclosed.