PA: Secretive special education settlements from due process complaints cost school districts millions

Aug 12, 2025

The Philadelphia Enquirer

As she tried to determine why her child was struggling to read as an older elementary student, the mother identified flaws with instruction in the Council Rock School District — from curriculum to a lack of staff trained in a method designed for dyslexic students. She thought the district would fix the problems. Instead, it agreed to pay for what her child needed — but didn’t change its programs. “They just want to make me quiet, and for me to go away, and then just continue on,” the mother said. The mother, who spoke to The Inquirer on the condition of anonymity because she isn’t allowed to reveal the terms of the settlement she reached with Council Rock, is one of hundreds of Philadelphia-area parents who have made similar deals with school districts after challenging the adequacy of their special education services.

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