NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Four Connecticut school districts are facing allegations of disability discrimination.
This is part of a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Justice following a report by the Office of Children’s Advocacy (OCA) and Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT).
The report found that the Waterbury, Hartford, Bridgeport and Stratford school districts contributed to the lack of oversight provided by High Road Schools for providing special education services.
The two-year investigation found that many children placed at High Road by the school district were “grossly underserved.”
“The question I have is, ‘How does this happen?'” Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernelewski said, “and nobody has a good answer.”
The report alleged that High Road, a private equity-owned, state-chartered and publicly funded special education program, relied on seclusion and restraints to address students’ behavioral problems.
Waterbury, Hartford, Bridgeport and Stratford were accused of sending children from low-income families, particularly those from Black and brown communities, to High Road.
Pernelewski claims the discrimination occurred before he took office but says the report’s findings are damning.
“What’s really infuriating is that in 2022 many districts outside of Waterbury and District 18 received the same letter about the concerns that OCA and DRCT had about High Road School and they did nothing,” Pernelewski said.
According to the lawsuit, High Road serves more than 300 children in 42 school districts in Connecticut.
More than 1,200 incidents of restraint and seclusion were reported in the 2021-22 school year.
In one instance, five Waterbury students were restrained a total of 83 times and segregated a total of 44 times.
Pernelewski said Waterbury has done away with isolation rooms within the district, but now he wants better communication and oversight at High Road.
“I would like to see us send somebody out periodically to inspect these schools,” Pernelewski said. “Let’s send somebody out to see what’s going on, and let’s send somebody out unannounced to see what’s going on, make sure the teachers are certified, make sure they’re doing PPT, make sure they’re coordinating.”
The report also noted that many of High Road’s educators do not have Connecticut teaching certification.
Waterbury Public Schools Superintendent Verna Ruffin said the district has reached out to the state and requested a meeting to “discuss concerns regarding students attending High Road School and how this issue is being addressed within Waterbury Public Schools.”
“We are currently working on scheduling a meeting that works for everyone,” Ruffin said.
A spokesperson for Bridgeport Public Schools said they could not comment at this time.
The Hartford and Stratford school districts did not respond to requests for comment.
Connecticut Child Advocate Sarah Egan could not be reached for comment Monday.
Deborah Dorfman, executive director and attorney for Disability Rights Connecticut, said she’s concerned about the lack of oversight.
“Among our many, but most pressing, concerns are the high rates of segregation and restraints for students at High Road, and the lack of appropriate positive behavioral supports,” she said. “We are also troubled by the district’s overall high use of off-campus segregated placements for children with behavioral and intellectual disabilities. These issues must be remedied immediately.”