Office for Civil Rights Initiates Directed Investigation into District of Columbia Public Schools

The Investigation Will Focus on Disability Discrimination & Comes on the Heels of a Class Action Lawsuit Moving Forward Against District of Columbia's Office of the State Superintendent for Education

March 5, 2025, U.S Department of Education (USDOE) announced a directed investigation into District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), to be helmed by USDOE’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The focus of the investigation is to determine “if the district is failing to meet the needs of students with special needs or disabilities.”

In its press release, USDOE cites a December 2024 report, District of Columbia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, which found DCPS had “more complaints per 10,000 students in the special education area than any other state or territory in the U.S.” In addition, the report highlighted serious transportation issues, including long delays, unreliable schedules, and lax oversight—concerns that mirror those in the class-action lawsuit Robertson et al v. District of Columbia.