CA School District in Breach of Federal Class Action Dyslexia Lawsuit Settlement, Attorneys Say

In fall of 2021, Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) settled a groundbreaking federal class action dyslexia lawsuit claiming that the district failed to identify students with reading difficulties and provide the necessary support. Now, the district is in alleged breach of the terms of the settlement, according to a February 16th Berkeleyside article. Insiders say staff turnover and lack of urgency on behalf of the district have caused significant delays in making systemic changes required under the terms of the settlement. BUSD has already had to extend the terms of the settlement for an additional year due to implementation delays. Kareem Weaver, who sits on the Oakland chapter of the NAACP, is closely following the settlement and views literacy as a civil rights issue.

The settlement requires BUSD to implement a districtwide literacy improvement plan that includes screening all K-5 students for reading difficulties and implementing evidence-based literacy interventions. It also prohibits the use of Fountas & Pinnell’s Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) and Reading Recovery except in “exceptional circumstances.” BUSD must also revamp its Special Education and Section 504 policies and procedures. 

In addition, BUSD must evaluate the effectiveness of its Tier 1 curriculum in improving literacy. BUSD currently uses the controversial Lucy Calkins Units of Study with a phonics curriculum “patch.” 

DDCA reached out to BUSD parent of a child with dyslexia, Lindsay Nofelt, who, along with other concerned parents, has created a website so that BUSD parents and community members can stay informed about the progress of the BUSD Literacy Improvement Plan and what it means for their children. ReadingforBerkeley.org is working to build awareness and create more transparency surrounding BUSD’s progress toward fulfilling the terms of the literacy settlement — taking advantage of this opportunity to address the pervasive problem of how we teach kids to read. Lindsay states “No matter how you slice it, this is the right time to demonstrate that Berkeley prioritizes literacy. As educational partners, deeply and personally invested in the success of our community, we believe the key to academic equity is to promote early and successful reading.”

After a four-year-long legal battle to reach the settlement, DDCA questions how much more money BUSD will invest in attorneys fees before investing in improving literacy for all BUSD kids. DDCA hopes that the district’s new leadership, increased attention from the BUSD Board of Education, better public transparency with respect to progress reporting and implementation, and inclusion of parents in the implementation will result in systemic changes that will lead to BUSD being a model district for improving literacy acquisition that others can follow.

Please encourage family, friends, and colleagues to sign up for our DDCA emails to stay informed on dyslexia-related efforts in California. 

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Learn more about the settlement here:

DDCA blog

2021 Berkeleyside article

Section 504 Plans Can Include Services!

 

DDCA has been receiving many questions regarding Section 504 Plans for students with dyslexia.  In particular, there is a common misunderstanding that students with dyslexia that have a 504 Plan can only receive accommodations.  Did you know that Section 504 Plans can include services and assistive technology as well?

DDCA is providing links with helpful resources including several of our You Asked! questions regarding Section 504.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights Frequently Asked Questionsabout Section 504:

  1. What services are available for students with disabilities under Section 504?

Section 504 requires recipients to provide to students with disabilities appropriate educational services designed to meet the individual needs of such students to the same extent as the needs of students without disabilities are met. An appropriate education for a student with a disability under the Section 504 regulations could consist of education in regular classrooms, education in regular classes with supplementary services, and/or special education and related services.

(Source:  UNITED STATES DEP’T OF EDUC., OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: REQUIREMENTS UNDER SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973 (2010), available at: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html.)

Other You Asked! questions on Section 504 are listed below:

You Asked! Q10

You Asked! Q17

You Asked! Q18

 

 

Legal & General Disclaimer: Decoding Dyslexia CA (DDCA) is a grassroots movement. The materials produced by DDCA are for informational purposes only and are not written by lawyers or anyone qualified in any way to interpret the law or provide legal advice. You should contact an attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. DDCA does not promote any specific company, organization, service, product or program. – Decoding Dyslexia CA