Most affluent New Yorkers claim most gov't special ed reimbursement $ - for private schools

[Hannah Bell]

Families in the most affluent New York City school districts, including the Upper East and Upper West sides, file more claims than other parts of the city seeking reimbursement of their children's private-school tuition, according to Department of Education data.

The department last year spent $116 million in tuition and legal expenses to cover special-education students whose parents sued the DOE alleging that their public-school options were not appropriate. The number is more than double three years ago, and the costs are expected to continue to rise.

Parents have been helped by a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions that strengthened their legal position to sue school districts. The most recent case was last summer.

"No one begrudges parents the right to send their children to private school," said Michael Best, general counsel at the DOE. "But this system was not intended as a way for private school parents to get the taxpayers to fund their children's tuition."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703824304575436012989680670.html?mod=WSJ_article_related

[cap]

1. Thems that has, gets

thems that has, have the knowledge, and the mojo to get.

If the affluent had to send their kids to special ed in the public school system, boy, howdy, my head spins to think about how fast special ed would be brought up to snuff. If they had to pay the full price, there would be a riot over getting insurance companies to reimburse properly. If everyone had the mojo to sue and the energy to chase after the reimbursements, everyone would be clammering to get in the top knotch programs.

[OHdem10]

2. Wealthy always look out for their own interests. When Wall Street

was in trouble--where did they go right off the bat? To the
US Treasury.

[mike r]

3. The rich don't get rich by writing a lot of checks

as usual

[Starry Messenger]

4. lol, where is our buddy the voucher advocate that swore shit like this would never happen

He's been scarce here lately.