She was told to graduate before she was ready. We helped her stay in the programs she needed. #AdvocacyMatters
May 31, 2019 / #AdvocacyMatters
Morgan was heading into her fourth year of high school. She was excited to attend a "social graduation," where she would walk across the stage with her class but would then remain in school to obtain needed services as part of her IEP transition plan. Under IDEA, students with disabilities are entitled to receive these services through age 22, if needed. The school had previously approved both her social graduation and additional time for transition, but during Morgan's fourth year, the school told her mother they didn't allow for social graduations. The director of special education also stated that the school wasn't required to give Morgan any additional education, since she had enough credits to graduate.
Morgan's county service coordinator reached out to Disability Rights Ohio on behalf of the family. A DRO attorney attended the family's meetings with the school district to amend Morgan's IEP, as needed, to prepare her for further education, employment and independent living.
With DRO's assistance, Morgan participated in her high school's graduation ceremony, walked across the stage with her class, and remained in school to attend a two-year campus-based transition program at Ohio State University. The program helped her work on employability and independent living skills and get needed job training experiences to prepare her for work. Two years of accomplishments later, she's now graduating with a plan for her future and several job opportunities on the horizon.
If you need help navigating special education services, contact us and check out our Special Education page for great resources.