State investigates JoCo schools for isolating autistic student, denying electives
The state Department of Public Instruction will investigate complaints that Johnston County schools placed an autistic high school student in a classroom by himself and required him to leave school before lunch without art, music or gym electives.
The complaint from Disability Rights NC also alleges that the school system failed to perform behavior assessments for the student or evaluate his Individualized Education Program, or IEP, which led to suspensions and academic downslides.
The advocacy group adds that the student, identified only as KS, has limited verbal ability but was denied the use of a device that aided his communication.
“It is not surprising KS struggled with behaviors and was unable to keep up with his schoolwork, as we know he wants to do, especially when the school took away his communication device and did not provide him with the support he needed and was entitled to,” said Glynnis Hagins, a Disability Rights attorney. “We believe this student and other students like him are being denied the education and opportunities that every child deserves.”
This complaint marks the second from Disability Rights this year aimed at Johnston County’s handling of autistic students. The first, in March, involved allegations the school system kept three students at three other schools out of full-time learning.
But the state has so far declined to investigate the complaint as a systemic problem involving the routine treatment of students with autism, a decision Disability Rights called concerning.
“We hope parents or guardians of students with autism who are being excluded or segregated will advocate at school for their children using the advocacy tips on our website,” Hagins said in a news release, “and, if that doesn’t work, by filing a complaint with DPI. It is important for state agencies to know how differently each county treats disabled students.”
Johnston County schools have not yet responded to The N&O’s request for comment.
In its statement Friday, DPI said decisions about placing students with disabilities into the least restrictive environments possible involve very specific facts different for each student’s situation.
“While NCDPI ... has investigated multiple complaints filed by DRNC, the findings in the individual cases did not yield a pattern of noncompliance that rose to the level of a systemic complaint,” the state agency said in its statement to The N&O. “Nor could those individual findings of noncompliance be attributed to a policy, practice, or procedure applied across similarly situated students. DRNC’s recent allegation of systemic violations was limited to facts about a single student.”.
‘Included and treated fairly’
KS transferred to Johnston County in the 2022-23 school year and qualified for special education under two categories. He would leave early for therapy on some days of the week and attend a full day on others.
But since March 2024, the complaint said, the school system placed him on a schedule that allowed between 2 and 3.5 hours of class a day. KS was suspended from school for 40 days in the last school year, for much of which he did not receive any required instruction to keep from falling behind.
The complaint asks that Johnston County schools be monitored and kept in communication with DPI’s autism team. It also asks that KS and similar students get education services that they have not received and that KS’ grandmother be compensated for hiring private tutors.
“Families should not have to fight this hard for their children to get an education,” Hagins said in the release. “Kids with disabilities just want what all students want: to be included and treated fairly.”
This story was originally published September 25, 2025 at 3:28 PM.