NJ parents win school funding battle after judge orders district to pay for autistic teen’s private placement
CAMDEN, NJ – A federal judge has ordered the Haddonfield School District to continue covering tuition and transportation for a 19-year-old student with autism and ADHD, siding with his parents in a legal fight over their son’s right to continued special education services under federal law.
The dispute centers on C.D., a student whose disabilities significantly impact his access to education. His parents, J.D. and K.D., filed a lawsuit and a motion for “stay-put” relief earlier this month, demanding the district pay for his ongoing placement at Y.A.L.E. School—a private institution—while litigation over the district’s prior handling of his education proceeds.
At issue was whether the Haddonfield School District was required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to maintain C.D.’s current educational placement following a March decision by an administrative law judge. That ruling had found the district denied C.D. a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) by failing to adjust his individualized education programs (IEPs) in 11th and 12th grade and ordered reimbursement for the Y.A.L.E. placement for the 2024–25 school year.
However, the parents argued the decision didn’t go far enough. They claimed the judge failed to make clear that C.D. remained eligible for services through age 21 and sought a court order compelling the district to keep funding his education until then.
On August 11, the court held a hearing to determine whether the district’s refusal to continue paying tuition and transportation costs violated C.D.’s right to a stable educational setting during the legal proceedings. In Monday’s ruling, the court granted the family’s stay-put motion, affirming that the ALJ’s earlier ruling established Y.A.L.E. as C.D.’s “current educational placement” and that funding must remain uninterrupted during the legal challenge.
The IDEA’s “stay-put” provision, under Section 1415(j), is designed to ensure that children with disabilities remain in their educational program during any legal dispute over their placement or services.
The Haddonfield School District had filed its own civil action contesting the March decision, but the cases were consolidated. The federal court’s order now forces the district to continue funding C.D.’s private schooling while both sides continue their legal battle over the scope of services owed.