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Advocates say district is failing students with disabilities, cite IDEA, ADA and FERPA
Summary
An executive director for a disability-rights organization told the Boquet Valley CSD board the district is not meeting legal obligations under IDEA Section 504, the ADA and FERPA and urged the board to investigate before approving contracts.
Mary Jamica, the executive director of the TriLink Center for Independent Living, told the board that students with disabilities face delays in services, exclusion from decision-making and inaccessible facilities and website tools. "Despite commitments under the IDEA section 504, the ADA, FERPA, and ASEC, this school district is falling short, not just morally, but legally," she said during public comment.
Jamica asked the board to investigate the complaints and to hold the administration accountable before extending contracts. She described physical barriers (an inaccessible bathroom where she was once stuck), website accessibility problems, and repeated failed requests for accommodations. The testimonial was presented during the first public-comment period and prompted discussion about how personnel and contract decisions intersect with service quality and legal compliance.
Administrators acknowledged the concerns on the record and said internal reviews are under way; a district director of student support services later said the district is conducting its own policy and procedure review and will use internal data to guide improvements.
