This article was originally published in Chalkbeat.
Robert Brown and his wife moved to Newark after 10 years of living in Florida, where they faced challenges in getting special education services for their two sons who have autism.
Their children, Warren, 9, and Nathaniel, 6, are both nonverbal and require speech, applied behavior analysis, and occupational therapies. Nathaniel has a more severe disability, Brown said, and requires the same services as his older brother along with behavioral therapy and a classroom aide.
After enrolling his sons in Newark Public Schools in July using the Newark Enrolls application online, he thought they were all set.
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But on Sept. 3, Newark Public Schools’ first day of school, Brown took his sons to McKinley Elementary School, the school they were supposed to attend, only to be told McKinley had space for Warren, but not for Nathaniel. The younger boy has been forced to stay home ever since — missing the crucial first week of a school year as well as much-needed services that help with Nathaniel’s disability.