When it comes to special education law and helping children gain the assistance they need, it can be challenging, regardless of where you live. The challenge is even greater for the families residing in New York City who pursue their child’s due process right to an appropriate education after the NYC Department of Education has failed the child. Far too many families attempt to go through the NYC Department of Education in order to find a way to help their child, but then only to get stuck in the seemingly endless bureaucratic system that makes it nearly impossible to reach an outcome, particularly one in favor of providing their child with the necessary help. Parents can feel overwhelmed at the amount of paperwork and steps involved in petitioning the NYC Department of Education for help at their child’s specific school or to find an alternative solution that allows a child to attend a school that would better cater to the child’s needs. Luckily, Spencer Walsh Law is familiar with this process and here to help families gain the necessary and needed assistance for their children.
The Issue
For parents attempting to work with the NYC Department of Education, they can spend years trying the little that is offered, only to discover that what the child actually needs to make progress has been ignored or overlooked. Each year, thousands of new cases are brought against the NYC Department of Education (upwards of 13,000 cases in 2018), causing the system to become congested and which has led to very few helpful and timely outcomes for families. The sheer volume of cases has led to delays at virtually every step in the process.
Why It Takes So Long
Since there are thousands of cases being brought against the NYC Department of Education each year, it becomes nearly impossible for each case to get the attention it deserves from the people assigned (at the Department of Education and its special education legal team) to work through the cases. Now, all too often parents are not adequately heard and their children continue to suffer because they are not receiving the help they need.
Often, even when students do receive individualized educational programs, or IEPs, their needs are still not correctly met by their individual schools. However, the NYC Department of Education lacks the resources necessary to oversee each case and provide guidance and make corrections to better cater to students. Further, it also lacks the staff necessary to process that thousands of legal actions brought on behalf of the children.
Why Spencer Walsh Law
For parents looking for answers and help for their children, Spencer Walsh Law can and wants to help. With a successful track record for achieving positive solutions to cases, Spencer Walsh Law is experienced in working with the NYC Department of Education in helping students with special needs. Tracey Spencer Walsh and her team has helped hundreds of families and can help parents with the process because they are incredibly organized and excel at following up with the NYC Department of Education. Instead of letting the case sit in limbo, the team at Spencer Walsh Law works hard to follow-up at each step of the process to ensure the case is getting the attention it deserves. Spencer Walsh Law also has an established relationship with many of the decision-makers in the NYC Department of Education that helps push cases to the finish line instead of allowing them to languish in the system. Spencer Walsh Law are experienced litigators who can rescue cases from the purgatory of “in settlement” status and bring certain cases to a hearing and conclusion.
