Support Charlie's Fight for Fair Education

I am a single parent of an 11-year-old girl who attends public school in Colorado. For the purpose of privacy, I will refer to my 5th grader as Charlie. Charlie is twice exceptional(2E). She is very gifted and also dyslexic. She was accepted into a private school for gifted children on scholarship for preK and kindergarten. Here, she was truely with her peers and her giftedness and disability needs were served in a meaningful way. COVID changed all of our lives and we moved to the public school system for 1st grade. This began my journey as her advocate. Over the last three years at her current school, her self esteem has slowly been degraded and she has become isolated from her peers. It is heartbreaking to watch as your bright, happy child has broken down slowly trying to navigate a world that was not made for them.

Charlie has been on an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) since third grade. I pushed hard for her current school to implement one as soon as she started there in second grade. Students are reevaluated every three years to ensure their plan is comprehensive and complete. In mid December, 6 months before Charlie would graduate to middle school, Charlie had her IEP evaluation. The district made the shocking announcement that they were no longer willing to serve her dyslexia needs and placed her in an alternative school for children with extreme behavior problems, one that would not provide her any academic support. Charlie does not have a pattern of discipline issues and does not suffer from an emotional disability. The school had been planning this placement with coordinators in the district for months without my knowledge. I only found out she had been because Charlie recognized a member from the faculty while I was doing an internet search about the alternative school at my home. She had been evaluated for the program there by this person without my knowledge or consent, and they intended to never tell me about it. Then, a decision was made without any attempt to include me in the process, which is clear evidence of predetermination and a legal violation of educational and parental rights.

For now, I have filed a due process to invoke the Stay Put provision to return Charlie’s placement to a general education setting and put her dyslexic needs in focus. This provision exists exactly for parents like me who‘s disabled child was removed from a school because the school could not meet their needs. With this knowledge I have stopped the school district from placing her in an alternative school, but it is not enough to enroll Charlie in a school that will meet her dyslexia and academic needs. In Charlie‘s IEP, the school made the decision to prioritize Charlie’s needs as “Severely Emotionally Disabled” (SED) before her academic disability. This SED label prevents me from exploring other schools for Charlie within the district. The Special Education office with the district refuses to hear my voice and work with me. They have forced me to hire a lawyer and an advocate, which are very expensive services, to get a fair and reasonable education for my child.

The heart of the issue lies in the elementary school’s failure to provide Charlie with the appropriate resources, despite my best efforts as a parent to communicate her needs. I have submitted multiple requests for Charlie’s team to collaborate with her long-time therapist or her reading coach, yet the school failed to involve all relevant parties in the evaluation process. Charlie’s disability has gone unattended in school for the last few years and she is nearly 3 grade levels behind. This is not an excuse to give up and place Charlie in an alternative school.

The school district owes Charlie—and all children—a fair chance at a good education, not a “one-size-fits-all” approach that is not made for dyslexic people. We must fight against school districts that view children like Charlie as a burden. Standing up for the unique needs of a disabled child is often only available to parents who can pay for it. This fight is not just for Charlie—when I fight against a powerful school district for their unjust treatment, I will also help give a voice for every child who deserves to be heard, seen, and given the resources they need to succeed.

This is where I need your help. The cost of legal fees and the process to advocate for Charlie’s rights is substantial, and I can’t do this alone. Your donation will go directly toward covering legal fees and securing the right educational resources for Charlie. Every contribution, big or small, will make a significant difference in this fight.

Charlie deserves an education that nurtures her potential, and I won’t stop fighting until she gets it.

Charlie‘s story is one step in ensuring all children, no matter their challenges, are given the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive as they deserve.

Thank you so much for your support.