Attend Open Due Process Hearing: March 23–27, 2026, Fairfax County, Virginia
Open hearing will examine allegations that Fairfax County Public Schools denied a Free Appropriate Public Education to a 16‑year‑old non-speaking student who uses a letterboard to communicate.
What: A special‑education due‑process hearing filed by the parents of a 16‑year‑old non-speaking student against Fairfax County School Board (FCSB).
When: Scheduled for March 23–27, 2026, beginning at 9 am each day (times may adjust day‑to‑day). Thursday, March 26th, the student is scheduled to testify, communicating using his letterboard.
Where: FCPS Virginia Hills Center, 6520 Diana Lane, Alexandria, VA 22310. If you need accessibility accommodations, contact the hosting facility in advance as the venue may not be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
About the Complaint
The due‑process complaint was filed by the parents of a 16‑year‑old nonspeaking student who attends Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia. The student has autism, apraxia, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and anxiety, and he communicates using a letterboard. The complaint alleges that FCPS has repeatedly denied the student a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by failing to provide necessary accommodations, misclassifying him and refusing to implement agreed‑upon services.
According to the complaint, FCPS placed the student in Category B special‑education classes and set Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals far below his demonstrated abilities. After years of advocacy, letterboard support provided by a “trained, trusted individual” was added to his IEP in June 2023. However, FCPS allegedly failed to provide a trained communication regulation partner (CRP), causing the student to miss assignments and fall behind. His parents stepped in at home, as his only CRP outside of school, but FCPS refused to accept work completed offsite and prohibited assignment completion outside the school building.
The complaint describes systemic obstruction. FCPS staff expressed skepticism about letterboard communication and demanded additional proof of the student’s abilities. IEP meetings were held without the parents, and prior written notices were allegedly rewritten to remove agreed‑upon accommodations. FCPS cancelled scheduled demonstrations of the student’s communication ability and later claimed that no agreement had been reached. Even after Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) found FCPS noncompliant in December 2023 (in response to a complaint filed by the parents) and ordered corrective actions, the division provided only partial CRP training and cut speech and occupational‑therapy services.
An independent evaluation by Dr. William Ling found that the student has a very superior IQ of 133 and can only demonstrate his abilities through a trained CRP. Yet, FCPS continued to propose rudimentary goals and reduce services.
The parents assert that FCPS predetermined IEP placements, ignored evidence of the student’s abilities, and retaliated by delaying or denying services. These actions caused significant anxiety, gastrointestinal distress, and sleep problems, negatively affecting his education and mental health. FCPS ultimately allowed him to enroll in standard‑diploma classes, but his assigned CRPs lacked fluency, forcing the family to provide additional support at its own expense.
The complaint seeks a finding that FCPS denied the student a FAPE since the 2023‑24 school year and requests orders requiring at least three trained CRPs, compensatory education, correction of the student’s transcripts, reimbursement for private evaluations and services, development of an appropriate IEP incorporating Dr. Ling’s findings, oversight to ensure implementation fidelity, and other just relief.