Parents ask Va. Beach to pay for son's tuition at private school

VIRGINIA BEACH

Antonio Washington's early academic records portrayed him as a genial, eager-to-please little boy who nevertheless earned failing grades.

By ninth grade, the frustration of his teachers crackled through the pages. Numerous disciplinary write-ups were marked with comments like "disruptive" and "non-compliant."

And he was still failing.

Last April, during his second ninth-grade year, Tony arrived late to class. His world history teacher told him to take notes from the board.

"He said that he did not know how to spell so he could not take notes," the teacher wrote in the disciplinary summary she sent to the Bayside High School principal. "He continued to interrupt class by saying 'I can't spell. I can't read.' When I asked him to be still and quiet, he started to laugh."

Now 17, Tony went on to fail ninth grade a second time. The only class he passed was Construction Technology, with a D.

Instead of sending Antonio back for a third ninth-grade year, his parents took him out of the public schools and sent him to Chesapeake Bay Academy, which designs its day for students with learning disabilities or attention disorders.

Brenda Reid, the parent liaison for the school division, said the public schools do their best to help each child, but it doesn't always work. "We're not perfect. There are some students who are better suited for these programs" in private settings, she said.

Antonio's family is asking the school division to pay for his new school setting through an administrative process. The base tuition at Chesapeake Bay Academy is $21,900 a year. Because of the pending appeal, the school division declined to comment on his case.

In rare cases, the school division will pay to place children in residential facilities such as St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children if the division can't meet their educational needs. Placements in private day schools are less common, and Antonio's is the only pending case.

His lengthy school records, provided by the family's advocate, show Antonio's mother has been asking the schools for extra academic help for her son since early elementary school. By third grade at Bettie F. Williams Elementary, Antonio was reading at two years behind his grade level.

Reports came back saying his academic skills were "borderline," but he wasn't eligible for special education because his scores reflected his ability. The results were the same over the next few years.

In fifth grade, the school developed a plan to give Antonio simpler test questions, clearer directions and more one-on-one help. He stayed with the same English teacher throughout middle school to work on remedial skills, said his mother, Tonya Whitehurst.

But, as she describes it, that help fell aside when her son, who now prefers to be called Tony, reached high school. He was finally approved for special education services in the spring because of his attention difficulties, which were diagnosed in kindergarten.

Frustrated and exhausted, his parents consulted with Reid, appealed personally to the School Board and hired an advocate, Cheryl Poe. There are about a half-dozen full-time advocates in South Hampton Roads who help parents negotiate the complex rules around special education. They collectively deal with hundreds of cases a year.

Antonio has been attending his new school for a few weeks. There, a mentor teacher checks Antonio's planner three times a day. The hallways are carpeted to dampen noise. Most classes have six or fewer students. And teachers switch activities every few minutes to keep students interested.

Antonio, who was placed in 10th grade at his new school, gets in trouble rarely.

"My grades are better. Much better," he said. "There's more help. Lots more help."

Last year, he wouldn't speak up in class. In Eastern civilization class last week, he nearly jumped off his stool to identify countries on an interactive map of Asia.

And in world literature, he read a few sentences aloud after teacher Synnika Lofton helped him find his place. Lofton said his new student is thriving with more structure, repetition and organization. Antonio said he wants to graduate and join the Navy as a mechanic.

"Confidence is something we have to build on every day," Lofton said. "Today, he had the confidence to say, 'I know that.' He's more willing to take the chance now."

Lauren Roth, (757) 222-5133, lauren.roth@pilotonline.com