DOJ announces settlement with Florida school district over treatment of students with disabilities News
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DOJ announces settlement with Florida school district over treatment of students with disabilities

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Wednesday announced a settlement agreement with the Okaloosa County School District in Florida for the school district’s treatment of students with disabilities.

The 36-page agreement contains several requirements that the school district must comply with. These requirements include strengthening multi-tiered systems and support for students with disabilities, mandatory staff training and prohibiting the use of seclusion. In addition, the agreement mandates the school district document and report instances of the use of restraint on students and review reports f any such instances. The school district also has to relay these reports to the DOJ and meet specific deadlines when sending the reports. Finally, the agreement authorizes the DOJ to initiate civil proceedings against the school district for violations of the contract.

The DOJ first began its investigation into the school district after allegations of abuse, use of seclusion and discriminatory use of restraint on students with disabilities. The investigation concluded that the school district violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This law prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities.

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