SCOTUS: Murray Statement on Case Determining Rights of Students With Disabilities to Receive Meaningful Public Education

Today, the Supreme Court held oral arguments in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, a case about the level of educational benefit school districts must provide students with disabilities under IDEA

Last year, Murray led a bicameral group of 118 current and former Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in the case--LINK

Murray: “I am hopeful that the Court will side with the nearly 6 million students in the United States who receive special education services and preserve Congress’ intent in IDEA”

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court hearing oral arguments in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, a case about the level of educational benefit school districts must provide students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). If the Supreme Court were to uphold the lower court ruling in the case that IDEA requires only a slightly more than de minimus educational benefit, it would negate the clear meaning of IDEA, diminish the statute to a paperwork formality, and could turn back years of progress made by students with disabilities.

“Every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential and for the school they attend to provide a high quality education,” said Senator Murray. “I am hopeful that the Court will side with the nearly 6 million students in the United States who receive special education services and preserve Congress’ intent in IDEA to provide students with disabilities meaningful educational benefit from the instruction and services they receive. And I am certainly going to fight back against any attempts to roll back fundamental protections for our nation’s students and attempts to divert taxpayer dollars from public schools to fund private school vouchers that don’t help all students. This would have devastating results for families across the country and is absolutely the wrong direction for our education system.”

In November 2016, Senator Murray and Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) led a bicameral group of 118 current and former Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in the case, arguing that the statute clearly intended to provide meaningful and material educational benefits to students with disabilities so that they may reach their full potential and live independent lives.

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