Court Monitoring Determines Providence Schools Compliant with Preschool Special Education Settlement
An independent monitor has confirmed that the Providence Public School District (PPSD) and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) have fully met their responsibilities under a 2023 court settlement addressing delays in preschool special education services.
The report found that PPSD demonstrated substantial compliance with the August 2023 agreement, allowing the federal class action lawsuit to be officially closed. The independent review, released Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Center for Justice, concluded that the district fulfilled all settlement requirements.
The settlement stemmed from a July 2023 lawsuit brought by Parents Leading for Educational Equity (PLEE), along with three children and their parents, who argued that Providence schools and RIDE failed to provide hundreds of children ages 3–5 with the necessary special education services.
With compliance now affirmed, PPSD can move forward from the two-year legal dispute, marking the conclusion of a complex effort to address systemic delays in early education support.
Author’s Summary:
The Providence school system fulfilled its 2023 settlement obligations on preschool special education, closing a federal case and signaling improved equity for young learners.