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CURRENT LITIGATION
November 8, 2018 – A settlement agreement reached in the longstanding Doe v. State of Ohio special education class action lawsuit will improve the academic achievement of students with disabilities, in part by supporting their inclusion in regular classrooms. The settlement is expected over the next five years to improve the State’s support for special education throughout Ohio, as well as create measurable improvements in student performance and inclusion for children with disabilities in 11 of Ohio’s large urban school districts, including Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Lima, East Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown and Zanesville. Under the settlement, the state will create and implement a plan that will include effective strategies for improving literacy and other supports for students and classroom teachers, such as evidence-based behavior support. The settlement will also provide more help for students as they transition from high school to employment, further education, and independent living.
The class is represented by the Bazelon Center, Disability Rights Ohio (DRO), and the law firm Steptoe & Johnson. The settlement will not go into effect until after an agreement is reached on Plaintiffs’ attorneys fees and unless the Court approves the agreement.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Settlement Agreement filed November 8, 2018
June 27, 2014 (Third Amended Complaint)
Plaintiffs
Minors B.H., C.M.U., C.S., L.J., Z.D.
Defendants
State of Ohio; John Kasich, in his official capacity as Governor of the State of Ohio; Richard Ross, in his official capacity as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction; the Ohio State Board of Education; and the Ohio Department of Education
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