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Report outlines challenges of Va.’s special education compliance system, recommends improvements

Published

4 days ago

July 9, 2025

virginiamercury.com – Nathaniel Cline – 2025-07-09 04:20:00

by Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury
July 9, 2025

After years of inconsistencies and complaints, Virginia has moved closer to revising its process for reporting issues with special education services, aiming to improve the structure and ensure that families receive the necessary services for their students with disabilities.

The issues with the state’s dispute resolution system — an impartial procedure for parents and schools to resolve disagreements over issues with special education services — have created a divide among parents and public school leaders for at least the past five years.

As federal law states, Virginia is required to provide all students with disabilities a “free and appropriate public education” through personalized plans under the Individualized Education Program. Last year, Virginia recorded over 185,000 students receiving special education services during the 2024-25 school year.

Wendy Little, a parent advocating for her son who is autistic, spoke on Monday to the state’s dispute resolution system advisory group as it reviewed a study with findings about the existing system and recommendations for bettering it. Her son’s story was a key inspiration for the formation of the advisory committee through successful legislation to address the system. She called for an overhaul of the current system to resolve problems special needs families face concerning their children’s education.

“There is no resolution,” Little said. “It’s a dispute to the parents and you get nowhere. It’s not only broken, it is completely corrupt.”

A history of noncompliance

The system, which has been studied for the past five years, has been criticized by parents and advocacy groups for failing to monitor and respond to complaints raised by families. The situation reached a critical point when the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which looked into why the agency had failed to resolve complaints.

“The time for continued study should end, and focus should turn to implementing the many reforms that have been offered throughout the years, and in this study,” said Deusdedi Merced, managing member for Special Education Solutions, LLC, which conducted the July 1 study. “The time to address the concerns of many is now. Only then will the full breadth of the protections afforded to students with disabilities on the (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) will be realized.”

The report’s findings highlighted that dispute hearing officers did not meet standard legal practices. It also noted a public perception that VDOE has not effectively enforced the outcomes of investigations related to state complaint orders.

During a meeting in Richmond on July 7, 2025, Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, shared key takeaways identified by her subgroup from the recently published study of Virginia’s Special Education Resolution Dispute System. (Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury)

The findings align with a 2020 study conducted by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), which analyzes and provides oversight of state agencies on behalf of the General Assembly, regarding K-12 Special Education.

In that report, researchers identified significant shortcomings in the state’s provision of special education services, including low-quality Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) — customized learning plans for student’s disabilities — a lack of knowledge among educators about how to effectively support students with disabilities, and shortfalls in VDOE’s oversight of local divisions.

JLARC’s study also found that the VDOE does not require school divisions to carry out corrective actions that fully and appropriately remedy instances of noncompliance.

The state education agency began turning things around starting with the Board of Education updating Virginia’s regulations on due process on March 28, 2024. Last December, the Office for Civil Rights wrote a letter closing its findings and requirements against VDOE.

Next steps

Some of the draft recommendations the advisory group will be voting on to improve the system include training for all stakeholders compared to a select few, expanding data collection and improving special education mediation.

Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, chair of the Virginia Commission on Youth, said she hopes the draft recommendations will provide more standardization of the IEP process, better training across the system for the mediators and the hearing officers, and increased clarity and support for parents. Favola, along with Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, carried legislation to overhaul special education in 2024.

“We’re trying to bolster the system in a way that makes it more responsive to the parents and ensures a certain amount of quality across the state and I think that’s going to be the message in the report that we go forward with,” Favola said.

During a meeting in Richmond on July 7, 2025, Senator Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, addressed Virginians regarding the challenges in special education following the release of a study on Virginia’s Special Education Resolution Dispute System. (Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury)

But some committee members, including Favola, expressed concern about whether the recommendations could be met, considering the threat to resources and programs posed by federal funding cuts. VDOE Superintendent of Public Instruction Emily Anne Gullickson said the agency will provide details about some of the cost impacts to special education at a future meeting.

The advisory group invited comments from the public, some of whom urged the committee to consider recommending a $10,000 cap on awards for parents, schools and hearing officers to reduce litigation costs. They also recommended better enforcement of federal laws, which includes the potential loss of licenses for non-compliance, and consistency across all divisions.

Kandise Lucas, an academic civil rights advocate, and parents also raised concerns about the mistrust the public has in Virginia’s public schools due to inconsistent eligibility determinations for students with disabilities and inadequate training across divisions.

“IDEA is a civil rights law that was created to make sure that children with disabilities are not marginalized; are not thrown away,” Lucas said.

The advisory committee’s draft recommendations will be presented to the Virginia Commission on Youth on Sept. 3, and will be open for public comment until October 15. The commission will vote on these recommendations during its meeting on Oct. 21.

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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.

The post Report outlines challenges of Va.’s special education compliance system, recommends improvements appeared first on virginiamercury.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This content focuses on issues within Virginia’s special education dispute resolution system, highlighting the need for reform and increased protections for students with disabilities. It discusses the shortcomings of the current system and federal oversight, while presenting voices from both advocacy groups and bipartisan legislators working toward solutions. The tone is fact-driven and empathetic toward vulnerable populations, which aligns with a Center-Left perspective that emphasizes social equity, government accountability, and support for public education improvements. There is no strong partisan framing or polarizing language, which keeps it moderate but leaning toward progressive advocacy on education and civil rights issues.

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Murder victim's loved ones speak out about media portrayal of 1999 cold case | NBC4 Washington

Published

1 day ago

July 11, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – NBC4 Washington – 2025-07-11 12:53:52

SUMMARY: Tomorrow night, a memorial will be held at Hillstone Apartments in Southeast to mark 25 years since Susan Gross’s 1999 murder near Union Station, DC. Susan, 24, was found stabbed to death in her basement apartment. Police arrested 70-year-old George Mudd, a neighbor, after DNA evidence was rediscovered last year. The cold case had stalled partly because the FBI lost crucial DNA data. Susan’s friends appreciate the arrest but remain upset by past media portrayals focusing unfairly on her former dancing job. Despite the tragedy, they hope the new coverage reflects her more accurately and respectfully.

Loved ones of Susan Cvengros are speaking out about how news coverage of the cold case made much out of the fact that she previously worked as a dancer at a club in Georgetown. News4’s Jackie Bensen reports.
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News from the South - Virginia News Feed

The ‘defunding’ of Planned Parenthood on pause for now as legal battles progress

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2025

Staff Editor

virginiamercury.com – Charlotte Rene Woods – 2025-07-11 04:25:00

by Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury
July 11, 2025

Federal funding to Planned Parenthood facilities in Virginia and across the nation are tied up in legal battles for the time being. A provision in Congress’ “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed by President Donald Trump last week would block Medicaid payments for services at facilities like Planned Parenthood for up to a year.

Planned Parenthood sued the Trump administration over the provision on Monday and a district court judge granted the organization a two-week restraining order against the federal government. On Friday, the Department of Justice called the judge’s order unlawful and asked for it to be withdrawn, saying the judge “didn’t follow procedure and should have given the government’s lawyers time to respond before ruling,” States Newsroom reported.

Judge’s order blocking Planned Parenthood funding ban unlawful, Trump DOJ says

In the commonwealth, about 700 to 800 patients per month use Medicaid to pay for services, said RaeAnn Pickett, communications director for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia. The organization’s clinics serve around 25,000 patients overall per year at its facilities around the state, she said.

The next set of arguments in Planned Parenthood’s case will occur on July 21 and determine whether a longer pause will be granted. Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that some clinics in the country have posted notices on their websites alerting patients they can no longer accept Medicaid in order to comply with the law.

While the national organization has drawn ire from anti-abortion advocates and many Republicans over the years for ending pregnancies, that is just one of the health care services the group provides. Planned Parenthood clinics around the nation also offer cancer screenings, sexual health testing, contraception and breast exams.

The most recent data from 2023, Pickett said, shows that Virginia’s centers provided contraception to over 12,000 patients, conducted more than 12,000 sexually transmitted disease tests, performed nearly 1,300 breast exams and performed 705 cervical cancer screenings (which yielded 53 abnormal results, prompting patients to seek follow-up care).

“Every cancer that goes undetected, every STI that goes untreated, every patient who can’t get birth control or abortion care when they need it — all of it is on their hands,” Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia director Jamie Lockart said in a statement as Congress was passing the reconciliation bill.

Federal law has long prohibited Medicaid coverage from funding abortions, save for specific circumstances. The organization emphasizes that targeting Medicaid funding being used in its facilities will actually affect other components of reproductive health care that low-income families rely on.

“The Defund Provision is a naked attempt to leverage the government’s spending power to attack and penalize Planned Parenthood and impermissibly single it out for unfavorable treatment,” the organization said in the filing.

Earlier this year, three Planned Parenthood clinics in Virginia were affected by the Trump administration’s freeze on Title X funding — a decades-old federal program that helps extremely low income families access family planning care at little to no cost. That equaled about 11,000 Virginia patients who were subject to higher costs for care.

In states like Virginia without tight restrictions or bans on abortion, organizations like Planned Parenthood have been a critical access point for travelers seeking abortions.

Pickett said that close to 30% of abortions provided by Planned Parenthood are from out-of-state patients — meaning that about 3,000 people are traveling for care. Overall abortion providers in Virginia have reported a rise in out-of-state patients in recent years, as surrounding states have enacted restrictions or near-total bans on the procedure.

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The post The ‘defunding’ of Planned Parenthood on pause for now as legal battles progress appeared first on virginiamercury.com

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This article provides detailed coverage of Planned Parenthood’s legal battle over Medicaid funding, highlighting the organization’s role in providing broad healthcare services beyond abortion. The language emphasizes the negative consequences of funding restrictions on low-income patients and reproductive health access, and it includes supportive quotes from Planned Parenthood representatives. While factual in reporting legal developments, the framing and choice of details subtly align with a center-left perspective by focusing on access to healthcare, the impact on marginalized groups, and criticizing government actions seen as punitive toward Planned Parenthood.

News from the South - Virginia News Feed

Quiet basins, for now

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-07-10 19:19:54

SUMMARY: Chief Meteorologist Tim Panda reports a quiet start to the 2025 hurricane season on July 10th, with both the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins showing little activity despite nearing the peak in early to mid-September. A notable historical reference was Hurricane Dennis, a weakening Category 4 that hit Pensacola as a Category 3 on this date in 2005. Currently, high pressure and dry air suppress storms in the Atlantic, though some tropical waves are present near Africa. The Northern Gulf shows a low 20% chance of development in the next two weeks. The East Pacific is also quiet after an active start.

While there’s not much tropical activity at the moment, Chief Meteorologist Tim Pandajis looks even further into the future using the latest long-range models.

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