The mother of eleven-year-old Steccia has dedicated the last six years fighting to have her daughter placed in specialized classes to facilitate a more effective learning method to accommodate her language learning disabilities focused on her visual perception, auditory memory and receptive communications skills. Now, with Steccia heading into grade 7 after only two years of success in a specialized learning disability class, the Ottawa school board is ignoring its own experts by threatening to put her back into regular classes. So her mother is bracing for another fight to get Steccia the help she needs in order to realize her full academic potential.

Helping with the fight for both an automatic interim “stay of placement” and her permanent placement is Monica Song, a partner in our Ottawa office, who will represent Steccia at a Special Education Appeal Board (SEAB) hearing on September 9, 2010. According to Monica, “[W]e’re not trying to break new ground here … there are very clearly defined rules.”

The school board says that placement is determined “based on a review of the child’s needs … and the ability of the board to provide for those needs.”

Before entering LLD classes, Steccia had a hard time reading and understanding oral instructions. Bullying and inappropriate labeling in the regular class setting also became a problem. Her mother says that while in the learning disabilities program, Steccia improved dramatically and was like a “whole new child.” (Tony Spears’ Ottawa Sun article, Hearing Set Over Special Education Placement Battle, August 2010).

Post-hearing Update:

On September 9, 2010, Steccia’s appeal was heard by the Special Education Appeal Board, which recommended that her Full-Time Learning Disability Special Education placement be maintained. The Trustees of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board voted unanimously on September 28, 2010 to accept the SEAB's recommendation, making this a completely successful and fully resolved outcome.