On September 11, 2024, the Educational Law Center reported that Newark Public Schools (NPS) has achieved substantial compliance with federal and state timelines for identifying and evaluating students with disabilities. This result comes more than 12 years after entry of a class action settlement agreement in M.A. v. Newark Public Schools, et al. between NPS and the plaintiff class represented by ELC and Gibbons P.C. Newark Public Schools Office of Special Education was tasked to provide compliance reports every six months beginning July 2012. NPS has had immense gains since the onset of the reporting beginning with a 90-day compliance rate of 32% to its last reporting, achieving rates above the 95% goal set by the Settlement Agreement. The District’s 20-day compliance rate has also risen impressively since July 2012 beginning at 84% and remaining consistently at 98% or higher since February 2021.
As a result of the settlement, Newark Public Schools created an Initial Evaluation Center (IEC) to ensure special education services are provided in a timely manner. With the creation of the IEC, district reporting had a substantial increase in compliance rate in identifying, evaluating, and implementing special education and related services. The IEC had four identification meeting teams composed of a general education teacher, social worker, psychologist, learning disabilities consultant, and speech therapist when required. These teams held identification meetings within the 20-day timelines. They also held initial eligibility and IEP meetings within the 90-day timelines. The timeliness of their work and collaboration with parents, school-based teams, and community agencies, were an integral part of the Newark Board of Education’s success in meeting its compliance mandate. The District continues to be committed to providing timely special education and related services to families in the Newark community.