New York has long been a champion of special education rights. State law requires that all cities provide special education services for children in private schools. Sometimes, this means the government must pay outside contractors for these services. While this is good for students, recent reports in the New York Times suggest that third-party providers may be taking advantage of these state funds and sometimes providing potentially fraudulent services.

Ending fraud in government spending is always a laudable goal. However, in the rush to show that the state is acting quickly to save taxpayer funds, innocent families with special education children could be affected. Suppose your family is affected by an overzealous response to questionable special education spending. Or, if your child's school is failing to act because of fears of investigation, you don't have to handle this alone. The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm can help your family and families nationwide. Call them at 888-535-3686 to schedule your consultation.

Fraudulent Special Education Spending in New York

Parents in schools across the country often express frustration at the challenges they face getting the services their special education students need to succeed. In many cases, when a school or government can't provide a service needed by a student, they simply stonewall the parents, insisting the requested services aren't needed or available. Parents often have to take a school district to court to receive services the schools can't provide, incurring thousands in legal fees upfront with no reimbursement guarantee. However, special education students in New York have often faced fewer hurdles before receiving needed services.

Until recently, the state routinely approved requests for outside services schools couldn't provide. Often, parents could find their own providers and ask the government to reimburse them. A New York Times investigation found that more than half of these requests came from five community schools with heavily Jewish Orthodox neighborhoods. In Hassidic families, the parents often didn't understand the services they requested or why.

In January of this year, an executive tied to some of these companies providing outside educational services was charged with theft of government funds and wire fraud conspiracy. In the wake of his arrest, the state is cracking down on outside special educational service providers. The state will now:

• Require proof that a student's parents want the services,
• Require that only qualified professionals provide the services, and
• Pay no more than $125 per hour unless ordered to pay more.

While these measures may cut down on some unreasonable costs, they may also make it more challenging for families with special education students to obtain specialized services from outside providers.

You Need the Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm

If you're the parent of a special education student in New York, you want to be sure that your student gets the education, services, and assistance needed to reach their full potential. If you're facing the run around from a school or city more concerned about potential fraud than ensuring kids get the education they deserve, you don't have to throw your hands up in frustration. The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm has been helping families like yours nationwide for years. They can help fight for the education and services the law guarantees all students. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 to schedule your consultation or submit your case online.