Nov 30, 2006 9:12 pm US/Mountain
District Ordered To Pay Student's Private Tuition
by Rick Sallinger
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) ―
The St. Vrain Valley school district has been ordered to pay private school tuition for a 10-year-old boy with multiple disabilities.
The order falls under a federal law which says that special needs children are entitled to free, appropriate public education, including paying for them to attend a private school.
The parents of Tyler Vandelac, who is autistic, bipolar and dyslexic, said he wasn't receiving adequate education at Frederick Elementary.
A note from Frederick that was sent home to Tyler's parents commented he had a "fun day" and his behavior was "super."
However, the school's records for the very same day said Tyler was "screaming and beating his head." It also that he was "going to kill himself."
"I was devastated," said Desiree Vandelac, Tyler's mother. "My husband and I were devastated."
She claimed Tyler was warehoused in Frederick and was regressing instead of progressing.
His parents decided to enroll him at WINSi (Western Institute for Neurodevelopment Studies) in Boulder which was endorsed by a hearing judge despite opposition from the St. Vrain Valley school district.
"They chose to fight this family all they way, to wait until Tyler had deteriorated after a whole year of school there," said Louise Bouzari, the Vandelac's attorney. "So that he requires a more expensive placement."
The school district wouldn't comment but the Colorado Association of School Executives said such cases can be devastating to district finances.
"When there's a judgment like this, that could take $8,000 to $10,000 away from a school district," said Bruce Caughey with the association. "It can have an impact on the other operations and programs that are available to the other kids."
At WINSi, Tyler is getting individualized teaching and said he's much happier now.
"My other school, they did not know how to teach me so this school knows how to teach me lots," Tyler said.
The private school costs $1,800 a week for a maximum of 36 weeks.
His family said they know there could be a public outcry about the amount of money involved but said it's really a small amount compared to what it would be for children like Tyler to be put into institutions later in life.
The judge's decision on the tuition payments may not be final. The school district could appeal the order.
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