Legal Resources

Education/Special Education

Sheff v. O'Neill

Sheff v. O'Neill is a landmark civil rights lawsuit that seeks to prepare all children to live and prosper in a growing racial/ethnic, economically connected world. The plaintiffs in this case continue to advocate for the State of Connecticut to uphold the constitutional rights of children in Hartford schools.

• 2010 Memorandum of Decision (February 22, 2010)

• 2008 Settlement Agreement (April 4, 2008)

• Quick Summary of 2008 Settlement Agreement (April 4, 2008)

• December 2008 Sheff v. O'Neill Comprehensive Management Plan

• Sheff v. O'Neill: Ten Years of Implementation (ACLU powerpoint presentation)

• Sheff v. O'Neill: Stiplulation and Order (January 22, 2003) (Expired)

• Sheff v. O'Neill: 1996 Decision

• Original Sheff Complaint (April 26, 1989)

For additional materials related to Sheff v. O'Neill, go to the Sheff Movement website

News articles about Sheff v. O'Neill

Federal Laws, Regulations & Policies

• IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004

• IDEA Regulations for school-age special education programs, 30 C.F.R. Parts 300 and 301 (in effect October 13, 2006)

• IDEA Regulations for children with disabilities under age 3, 34 C.F.R. Part 303

• CRS Report for Congress: IDEA Analysis of Changes Made by PL 108-446 (IDEA 2004)

• U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) IDEA Website - provides other federal guidance on IDEA

• Title 504/Americans with Disabilities Act "Protecting Students with Disabilities: Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities" - Answers to common questions about educating children with disabilities, including the differences between the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
• US Dept. of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) The mission of the Office for Civil Rights is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights. The OCR serves student populations facing discrimination and the advocates and institutions promoting systemic solutions to civil rights problems.

Connecticut Laws, Regulations & Policies

• CT Special Education Regulations

• Special Education Hearing Decisions

• Special Education: Protecting Your Child, Protecting Your Rights, Connecticut Legal Services Pamphlet

• Five Year Comprehensive Plan for Education (2006 - 2011) adopted by the Connecticut State Board of Education January 3, 2007

• Special Education Procedural Safeguards

Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education Resources

• Connecticut Special Education Due Process Hearings (English)

• Connecticut Special Education Due Process Hearings (Spanish)

• Directory of Approved Private Special Education Programs [PDF] 703KB

• List of Approved Private Special Education Programs [PDF] 99KB

• Evaluation Timelines Guidance - Topic Brief [PDF]

• Extended School Year - Topic Brief [PDF]

• Parent's Guide to Special Education (PDF)

• State of Connecticut Department of Education: Response to Intervention (RtI) (Word Doc) Memo to Directors of Special Ed. on compliance with IDEA requirements From: Nancy M. Cappello, Ph.D., Interim Chief Bureau of Special Education. September 12, 2006

• Writing Transition Goals and Objectives - Topic Brief [PDF]

Connecticut Special Education Forms

• Transition IEP Checklist [PDF]

• Complaint Resolution Process [PDF] 79KB [Word Doc]

• IEP Manual & SDE Forms [PDF]

Helpful Websites and Resources on Special Education in Connecticut

• TIPS for attorneys on Special Education decisions

• CT State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education website

• The State Education Resource Center of Connecticut (SERC)

• Mooney, Thomas B., A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law, Fifth Edition, Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, Inc., 2007. A valuable resource on CT school law that is available in the CCA library.

• Listing of CT Resources for Families [PDF]

• State Department of Education Surrogate Parents Program: 860-713-6916

Special Education Resources from the Center for Children's Advocacy

• Educational Advocacy: Red Flags for Early Identification [PPT]: Powerpoint developed by Andrea Spencer, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Bank Street College of Education and CCA consultant

• Extended school year (ESY) programs for special needs students: summary of eligibility requirements View (HTML), Print (Word DOC)

• Truancy: A Closer Look [PDF] - a report that looks at the link between truancy and unmet educational needs

• Life After Lock-Up
  School and your legal rights when you come back to the community

• New Report: Las Niñas Silenciadas
  Broken Links between Language, Culture and Learning: Obstacles to school achievement play critical role in truancy.

• Why Should I Care About Absences and Tardiness in High School?

Dropout Prevention

• Report on Truancy: A Closer Look
  A closer look at the link between unmet educational needs and truancy. Center for Children’s Advocacy 2006.

• Las Niñas Silenciadas:
  Broken Links between Language, Culture and Learning. Center for Children’s Advocacy 2009.

• Listening to Latinas:
  Barriers to High School Graduation. National Women’s Law Center 2009.

• National Dropout Prevention Center

No Child Left Behind Act

• No Child Left Behind Act Text [PDF]

• U.S. Dept. of Education's website on NCLB

• Parent Guide: How to Make Sure Your Child Is Not Left Behind: A Connecticut Parent's Guide to Advocating for Equal Educational Opportunities - published by CT Appleseed, ConnCAN, CT State Conference of NAACP Branches & Lawyers'

• Free Tutoring:

  • SES Tutoring Request Form for Hartford, CT (Word Doc) The Supplemental Education Services (SES) program is part of NCLB. Through the SES program, parents can get free tutoring services for their children.

• School Choice: Public School Choice in Connecticut: A Guide for Students and Their Families, published by the CT State Department of Education 2007 - 2008
  [Adobe Version in English, 2010 edition] [Adobe Version in Spanish, 2007 edition]

• No Child Left Behind: Connecticut Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (PDF); State of Connecticut and the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut v. Margaret Spellings, in her official capacity as Secretary of Education.

Homeless Youth/Unaccompanied Minors

• A New IDEA! Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities who Experience Homelessness [PPT]- a powerpoint presentation by Patricia Julianelle from the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth

• Assisting Unaccompanied Children and Youth: Overcoming Hurdles and Opening Doors [PPT]- a powerpoint presentation by Patricia Julianelle from the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth

• Educational Rights of Homeless Teens

• McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

• McKinney-Vento Regulations, 34 C.F.R. Part 200

• U.S. Department of Education’s Guidance on the Education of Homeless Children and Youth

• U.S. Department of Education’s Guidance of the Education of Homeless Children and Youth with Disabilities

• National Center for Homeless Education

Discipline

• Pro Bono School Expulsion Project (CT)

  • Pro Bono School Expulsion Project- Flyer - Parents [Word Doc]

  • Pro Bono School Expulsion Project- Flyer - Providers [Word Doc]

  • Pro Bono School Expulsion Project – Checklist – Providers [Word Doc]

  • Education Questionnaire- Intake

  • Closing Report [Word Doc]

  • Sample Certification Letter [Word Doc]

• Rules, Regulations & Rights in School, created by Connecticut Legal Services

Press

• CCA Wins State Dept of Ed Complaint

• News articles about Sheff v. O'Neill