Parents Battle School Districts for Special Support

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*/Parents Battle School Districts for Special Support/*

By TREY BUNDY

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/20/education/20bcspecialneeds.html

In October, after months of anxiety, Caroline Barwick and her husband,

Huerta, celebrated the arrival of their son Sebastian's third

birthday.

It was the day the San Francisco Unified School District became legally

responsible for addressing Sebastian's severe autism.

Ms. Barwick and Mr. Huerta met with school clinicians to discuss their

son's education and treatment. But the meeting did not go as they had

hoped --- the district offered Sebastian fewer than half of the

therapeutic services recommended by three private doctors and did not

offer a choice of schools.

" You're reeling from what's already been a tragic diagnosis, " Ms.

Barwick said, " then it's almost like you're slapped across the face. "

The couple took legal action against the district. Last week, an

administrative law judge criticized the district for its handling of the

case and ordered it to reimburse Sebastian's parents for about $55,000

they spent on his therapy and education during the dispute.

Ms. Barwick and Mr. Huerta are part of a growing number of parents of

special-needs children who are battling the school district over

federally mandated support....

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