Bridgeport 26-0413

Complaint Summary

Date Findings Report Sent:

April 6, 2026

Case Number:

26-0413

Grade Level:

Middle school

Person filing complaint:

Charter school employee

School District:

Bridgeport Public Schools

Allegation(s):

  1. The Complainant alleges that the PPT was not able to develop an appropriate IEP for the Student at the PPT meeting on December 12, 2025 because the District did not provide accurate information regarding the Student’s social work services.(34 CFR § 300.322 and RCSA § 10-76d-12).
  2. While reviewing the complaint letter, this investigator noted that there may be a question of whether the social work services in the Student’s IEP were implemented from the start of the 2025-26 school year through the date the complaint was filed.Therefore, this investigator has added this issue to the complaint investigation.(34 CFR §§ 300.323(c)(2) and 300.17, RCSA § 10-76d-1(a)(1) ).

Conclusion(s):

  1. 34 CFR § 300.322 and RCSA § 10-76d-12 provide that the planning and placement team (PPT), including the child's parents, are responsible for developing, reviewing and, if appropriate, revising the child's individualized education program (IEP).34 CFR §§ 300.323(c)(2) and 300.17, RCSA § 10-76d-1(a)(1) require each board of education to provide in a timely way special education and related services in accordance with the student’s individualized education program.The evidence reviewed as part of this investigation shows that at the very least, the information discussed at the PPT meeting was interpreted differently by the social worker and the Charter School staff.The documents reviewed do not support the social worker’s assertions that services were not able to be delivered due to the Student being absent or refusing to participate.These inconsistencies would have made it difficult for the Charter School to meaningful participate in the PPT meeting and develop an IEP.Therefore, the District is found to have violated 34 CFR § 300.322 and RCSA § 10-76d-12 and corrective action is required.The documents reviewed also show that the Student missed 10.5 hours of social work services and therefore a violation of 34 CFR §§ 300.323(c)(2) and 300.17, RCSA § 10-76d-1(a)(1) is found and corrective action is required.

Corrective Action(s):

  1. On or before May 30, 2026, the District must provide the Charter School and this office with the following:
    1. The specific dates that the social worker provided services to the Student;
    2. The specific dates that the social worker attempted to provide services, but the Student refused; and
    3. The specific dates that the Student was marked absent during the time of the day that social work services were scheduled.
  2. The District must provide the Student with five hours of compensatory social worker services on or before September 1, 2026.  A record that the services have been provided must be sent to this office.