Parents of Autistic Children Won A Big Victory in Philly Court Today

This week, autistic children elementary and middle-schoolers appear to have won a big victory in court over the Philadelphia Public School District.

PPSD has long forced autistic students to switch schools after completing grades, because of the unorthodox way they are grouped (K-2, 3-5, 6-8). Parents and teachers were given little say in the process, which was particularly troublesome for autistic children, who can respond poorly to change. So, two years ago, the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia filed a class-action suit on behalf of around 1600 K-8 students in the PPSD, seeking a change to the process.

Yesterday, a federal judge ruled that the process violated the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and will force PPSD to give parents and teachers more notice, and input, into the process. The ruling does not mean, however, that the school can altogether stop shuffling autistic kids from school to school. [CBS 3]