OVIEDO, Fla. — 9 Investigates continues to push for answers on behalf of a legally blind Oviedo High School student.
An administrative judge determined Seminole County Public Schools consistently failed to provide the girl materials in braille or large font. Now, the girl’s mother has taken her pleas for change directly to the school board.
Kimberly Banks told the school board that the district is failing to comply with her daughter’s individualized education plan, or IEP, even after the August 2018 ruling. Alyssa Mendez told us that when she looks at anything smaller than an 18-point font, the letters get fuzzy within minutes.
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“I really just need braille,” Mendez said.
Banks went to the school board after she said Mendez started receiving even fewer services this semester. Mendez has been on hospital/homebound status for weeks due to stress over the situation, and is being taught remotely and through Florida Virtual School.
“This is the workbook that my daughter was given for Spanish this year,” Banks said, showing the book to the board. “It's not in braille. It's not in large print. It's not in line with the IEP.”
9 Investigates sent copies of the administrative ruling to all members of the school board, asking what they would do to make sure Mendez gets what she needs. So far, none have responded.
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The document details that throughout Mendez’s freshman and sophomore years, "materials were presented in a fashion that was not accessible to her on multiple occasions, across multiple subject areas, all year long."
That included "materials that were too fuzzy, without enough contrast, or not transcribed properly into braille."
The ruling went on to detail that "in one class, the student did not receive the correct braille version of a textbook until well into the semester."
“We have at least 20 boxes of inaccessible materials provided to her by the district from the fall of 2016 to 2018, and the district has admitted no fault,” Banks told the board.
The family’s attorney is using the administrative ruling to request payment from SCPS in the form of a settlement, in order to educate Mendez privately. Because of that ongoing litigation, and due to student privacy concerns, district staff could not comment on this issue.
During the board meeting, Chairwoman Tina Calderone asked for staff members to set up a meeting with Banks.
That request only came after 9 Investigates started asking questions this week.