Mai Hall expected that her oldest child would automatically receive special education services for her autism, dyslexia and ADHD when she enrolled in a Kaimukī elementary school 10 years ago. But the school said Hall’s daughter didn’t need any additional support, insisting that she earned good grades and got along with her friends.
It was only after Hall received training from a federally funded parent information center that she was able to successfully advocate for her daughter — and later, her son — to get the support services they needed.
Parents of students with disabilities have long struggled to ensure their kids have the resources and support they need in public schools in Hawaiʻi, which ranks among the worst states in the nation when it comes to academic outcomes for special education students…