MVLS Launches Special Education Project to Support Students with Disabilities

Key Highlights :

MVLS initiates its Special Education Project to offer free advocacy and legal representation to disabled students.

Payton Aldridge and D'Khyra McFadden oversee HB903-funded program.

MVLS is looking for paid panel members up to $200/hour.

Key Background :

1. The Launch & Purpose

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), the state's largest pro bono provider of legal services, has launched its new Special Education Project. The project will serve students with disabilities and their families free of charge through legal and advocacy services. The project will attempt to address inequities in the educational system and give all children access to whatever they require.

2. Services for Families

The program pairs skilled families with lawyers, consultants, and advocates to assist with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and school discipline cases. These services are invaluable for parents wanting to navigate the complexities of education bureaucracies and obtain appropriate accommodations for their children. The program is led by Payton Aldridge, a lawyer with disability rights experience, and seconded by D'Khyra McFadden, who has firsthand knowledge from MVLS's intake operations.

3. Legislative Basis

HB903 funds it, the 2024 bill known as the Access to Attorneys, Advocates and Consultants for Special Education Program and Fund. The law established a state-funded system to offer attorney and advocacy services to disabled children. With its implementation, Maryland is making the largest step towards providing equal education to every child regardless of what their background or ability may be.

4. Collaboration & Partnerships

MVLS is not alone. The organization has collaborated with organizations like Disability Rights Maryland, Project HEAL, and The Parents' Place of Maryland. They provide more expertise and access to the community, allowing the program to reach more families and spread its influence throughout the state.

5. Leadership Orientation

As Executive Director Susan Francis put it, MVLS's mission is to take barriers out of justice. She added that equal access to education is crucial to realizing that mission. Her statement is in harmony with MVLS's rich history of justice advocacy, racial equity, and aid to low-income and minority groups.

6. Recruitment & Broader Impact

To ensure the effort is effective, MVLS is actively recruiting panel members advocates, consultants, and attorneys soliciting up to $200 per hour. This provides high-quality representation for vulnerable families. The Special Education Project is the newest addition to MVLS's extensive slate of services, already including help with housing, family law, tax battles, wills and estate planning, and expungement of criminal records. With this foray into special education, MVLS is committed to ensuring justice and fairness reaches Maryland's most disadvantaged communities.

About the Author

Mia Jones

Mia Jones is a Managing Editor at Education Excellence Magazine.