Rally to establish office of Special Education Ombudsman

A rally to establish an office of Special Education Ombudsman in Rhode Island will be held on Saturday, April 30th from 10am to noon at the Warwick Center for the Arts, 3259 Post Road, in Warwick.

Fall-out from COVID continues to wreak havoc on children with special needs, and families, teachers, professionals, and community members will be gathering for the event to recognize the giant steps that have been made by shining a light on the issue, and to let legislators and administrators know that the group is serious and that they will not stop until an Independent Ombudsman Office for Special Education is created.

The heartbreaking truth of how children struggled in school, before the pandemic, and now, even with the pandemic waning, families and their children are rebuffed when asking for necessary 504s or IEPs in school.

The IN-PERSON RALLY Saturday morning supports House Bill-7536 and Senate Bill-2375 to create an Ombudsman Office of Special Education.

The establishment of this office will protect the education of children with special needs, including…

• How the office can work for you and your child – without having to hire an attorney
• How reporters will be protected
• What year-end reports will be given to our Rhode Island and legislators.

Committed Legislators – Sponsors – and Co-Sponsors, along with other state leaders will be in attendance. Tables will be available and help for people to share their story in written or oral testimony in preparation for the upcoming hearing in the Senate Finance Committee.

Refreshments will be served and children are welcome. The Warwick Center for The Arts is accessible for those who need with assistance.

Are you a Bystander or a Change-maker? Register for Saturday, here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/special-education-ombudsman-rally-tickets-320925937117

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About The Arc Rhode Island & Rhode Island Advocacy for Children

The Mission:

Promoting and protecting the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.

The Impact:

With your help, we are working every day to build a future of inclusive work, play, worship, community, travel, and more.

For more information: https://ri.thearc.org/