Chalkbeat

Sharon Kelso tries to do everything she can to help Detroit families navigate the often confusing and complicated world of special education. The advocate is frequently on the phone, listening to parents complain that their child has yet to receive an individualized education program, or IEP, a plan that spells out what services and accommodations students with disabilities should receive, as required by federal law. Sometimes, families want her guidance for talking to teachers and school administrators. She also gets calls from parents whose child has an IEP, but they need help. “A lot of times I call the schools, have the parent come in, give their complaints, sit and look at the IEPs and work through them and try to help them as much as I can,” she said. “But I’m only one person.” Kelso’s work highlights an issue that education advocates, school employees, and board members say has persisted for years in the Detroit Public Schools Community District and across the state: delays in conducting or complying with evaluations for special education services.