Remedying the Failure to Provide Related Services: New Process for the School District of Philadelphia

Resource Type: Fact Sheets
Focus Area:

All children with disabilities have a right to “related services,” such as speech therapy and occupational therapy, and the right to “make up” services if they are not provided. In response to a state administrative complaint filed by the Education Law Center-PA, the Pennsylvania
Department of Education found in October 2025 that the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) failed to provide required related services to many students with disabilities across the district due to vacancies, staff leave, and provider shortages or capacity. In response, the state ordered SDP to take several steps to correct the violations, including creating new procedures to notify parents of failures to provide related services and to provide timely make up services (or compensatory education) for the violations. The protocol is now being implemented and
explains how related services must be tracked and how, when they are not provided, related services must be remediated.

This fact sheet explains the new procedures for securing those services so you can advocate for your child if they experience service gaps.

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