D.C. adding classrooms for special needs students

The District is opening extra public school classrooms for special education students with emotional disturbances, as part of an effort to reduce the large number of students who are sent to costly private facilities when public schools can’t serve their needs.

Two classrooms, each serving 10 students, are planned for Options Public Charter School this school year. Another classroom at Eagle Academy Public Charter School is expected to accept students the following school year. In both cases, special education students whose home schools don’t have adequate resources or staff to meet their needs will attend these “therapeutic classrooms” for a year or possibly longer.