A federal judge granted preliminary approval of the settlement of a 26-year-old special education lawsuit in Baltimore last week.
The settlement would end court oversight in July and the lawsuit by September 2012, if certain requirements are met. The state will continue to actively monitor the school system’s progress until the lawsuit has run its course, according to media reports.
The lawsuit, filed in 1984 on behalf of a student known as “Vaughn G,” accused Baltimore public schools of denying essential services to special education students.
The Baltimore Sun reported that, under the agreement, the city must continue to provide special-needs students with services, give them support in obtaining a regular education, and work to reduce the number of children suspended each year.
