On May 20th, Disability Rights DC sent this letter to Hanseul Kang, Superintendent, Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee Chancellor, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and Clinton Lacey, Director, Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) about how students with disabilities who are currently at the Youth Services Center (“YSC”) were not receiving any instruction at all, only paper packets.

The letter reads, in part –

It is our understanding that there are youth at YSC who are currently not
receiving any instruction – either in person or via video or other format – but are
only receiving packets of paper to complete. We are cognizant of the particular
health concerns restraining certain types of instruction for all children currently
given this COVID-related public health crisis. Nevertheless, youth with IEPs and
504 plans at YSC, who are being provided only packets of worksheets without any
additional instruction by qualified teachers, are not receiving FAPE.

Disability Rights DC goes on to remind OSSE, DCPS and DYRS that students at YSC with disabilities are entitled to the same FAPE that other students with disabilities are entitled to, and asks that DC correct this immediately –

Students with disabilities at YSC or any institutional setting have a right to
receive the FAPE they are entitled to under Federal and District laws, and the right
to receive that education in the same manner that other students without disabilities
are receiving it. District agencies involved in educating students with disabilities
in institutional settings must make providing FAPE to these children a priority
because of the reasons outlined above. Disability Rights DC asks that you provide us with a response to explain how the District will take immediate steps to correct this on-going rights violation.

We link to the entire letter below.

Lack of FAPE ltr to OSSE DCPS DYRS Final 5 20 20 (1)