Bridgeport 26-0665

Complaint Summary

Date Findings Report Sent

July 2, 2026

Case Number

26-0665

School District

Bridgeport Public Schools (single student)

Person filing complaint

Attorney

Grade Level

Elementary School

Allegation(s)

  • Failure to take steps to ensure that one or both of the parents of a child with a disability are present at each PPT meeting or are afforded the opportunity to participate including notifying parents of the meeting early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to attend; and scheduling the meeting at a mutually agreed on time and place. Such parental notice must indicate the purpose, time, and location of the meeting and who will be in attendance and inform the parents of the provisions relating to the participation of other individuals of the PPT who have knowledge or special expertise about the child. The determination of the knowledge or special expertise of any individual must be made by the party (parents or school district) who invited the individual to be a member of the PPT (34 CFR § 300.322)
  • Failure to, at least five school days prior to the meeting, advise the parents in writing, in their native language, of their rights to be participating members of the planning and placement team (RCSA § 10-76d-12(a)(1))

Conclusion(s)

  • The District issued conflicting Notices of PPT Meetings in CT‑SEDS. Additionally, the District acknowledged that it cannot confirm the methods used by the assigned supervisor to notify the Parent of the meeting. This indicates that the District did not ensure verifiable notice to the Parent. Also, the Parent was provided with notice of the PPT meeting less than five days prior to the meeting.
  • Although the Complainant notified the District and APSEP, that they could not attend the scheduled PPT meeting and requested that it be rescheduled, the District proceeded with the meeting. The District contacted the Parent the same morning to inform them that the PPT was taking place, and when the Parent returned the call, they were routed into the meeting by phone. It cannot be confirmed if the Parent was aware of the PPT meeting, due to the conflicting communication with the Parent and Complainant (Parent’s Attorney), and the conflicting Notices of PPT Meetings that were provided to the Parent. For these reasons, the District is in violation of 34 CFR § 300.322 and RCSA § 10-76d-12(a)(1). Corrective action is required.
  • The District did not provide the Parent with the IEP within five days of the PPT meeting. The IEP from the April 28, 2026, PPT meeting was not generated in CT‑SEDS until June 4, 2026, evidencing that the IEP was provided to the Parent more than five days after the PPT meeting. RCSA § 10-76d-13(a)(6) states that a full copy of the IEP shall be sent to the parents within five days after the planning and placement team meeting to develop, review or revise the IEP. Therefore, the District is also in violation of RCSA § 10-76d-13(a)(6). Corrective action is required.

Corrective Action(s)

  • The District’s Director of Special Education must meet with the District’s supervisor assigned to this Student’s case, along with all special education team members assigned to this Student’s case to review the following:

    • Section titled Notice of PPT Meeting in Chapter 3: Planning and Placement Team (PPT) Members of the Connecticut Special Education Procedures and Practices Manual
    • The requirements of RCSA § 10-76d-13(a)(6)
  • An attestation that this review occurred including the date in which the review occurred, participants’ names, participants’ roles, and participants’ signatures must be provided to the CSDE.

  • The District must contact the Student’s parents to schedule a PPT meeting for the Student for a mutually agreeable date and time. The PPT meeting must be monitored by the District’s Director of Special Education to ensure the following:

    • The Parent is notified of the PPT meeting in writing and via phone call at least five days prior to the meeting
    • The Notice of PPT Meeting accurately reflects the date, time, and location of the PPT meeting
    • The IEP developed is generated and provided to the Parent within five days after the PPT meeting
  • An attestation that the above was monitored by the District’s Director of Special Education for this Student’s case must be provided to the CSDE.