Orleans Parish School Board Released from Decade-Long Special Education Consent Judgment
Federal Court Recognizes Sustained, Systemic Progress for Students with Disabilities in New Orleans Charter Schools
(New Orleans – April 2, 2026) — The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has officially released the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) from the obligations of a landmark consent judgment governing special education services in New Orleans' public charter schools. The order, issued by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey on March 31, 2026, marks the conclusion of more than eleven years of federal court oversight stemming from P.B. v. Brumley, Civil Action No. 10-4049, and stands as a testament to what our schools, our families, and our community have built together.
The Consent Judgment, entered in 2015, resolved a class action lawsuit brought in 2010 by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) on behalf of approximately 4,500 New Orleans public school students with disabilities against the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). It required systemic reforms to ensure that students with disabilities received the free appropriate public education guaranteed under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). OPSB voluntarily intervened in the lawsuit as a defendant and partnered with the LDOE to help advance positive solutions for all our students.
"This is a proud day for our students, our families, our schools, and every member of our team who poured their heart into this work," said NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Fateama S. Fulmore. "We set out to build something that would last, and the court's ruling confirms that we did exactly that. Our commitment to students with disabilities is not just about compliance. It's always about doing right by our children. Our work is not finished; it is ongoing and will continue to improve."
The court found that OPSB and the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) achieved Substantial Compliance with all provisions of the Consent Judgement, and maintained compliance for eight consecutive years, far exceeding the threshold of two consecutive years required for termination.
Systems and Structures Built to Last
Over the course of the Consent Judgment, OPSB led and supported meaningful, systemic improvements in special education services across New Orleans charter schools, including:
• Dissemination and annual review of comprehensive model documents covering child find, enrollment, disciplinary procedures, procedural safeguards, and family resources
• Annual professional development offered to schools on IDEA compliance and best practices for students with disabilities
• Robust complaint investigation and follow-up processes, including direct connection of families to resources and support
• Collaborative on-site technical assistance offered to all NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) charter schools on federal special education regulations
• Development of Special Education Resource Guide, Specialized Programming Guide, and annual events to support families and community members in navigating supports and resources across Orleans Parish
• Coordination of shared services including related services, an Assistive Technology Library, and targeted supports chosen by schools through the creation of the NOLA Educational Service Agency (ESA)
• The creation of a new NOLA-PS Student Support Ombudsman position, a dedicated resource for families navigating the public school system
Honoring Those Who Made This Possible
OPSB is deeply grateful to the CMO leaders, school leaders, principals, special education coordinators, teachers, paraprofessionals, and support staff across our charter schools who made this achievement real. Compliance on paper means nothing without the people who live it every day in classrooms, hallways, and IEP meetings. You are the reason this milestone exists.
Our Student Support division deserves special recognition. Year after year, through the required actions of the Consent Judgment, support visits, professional development, and countless family conversations, this team never lost sight of why the work mattered. They built the systems that earned this outcome.
OPSB also thanks its legal team and the attorneys who navigated this complex proceeding spanning more than a decade with skill, integrity, and an unwavering focus on our students.
We acknowledge our partnership with the LDOE throughout this process. Together, we implemented the systemic reforms the Consent Judgment required and maintained the standards that led to today's ruling.
We recognize the Independent Monitors appointed by the court, Dr. Dale Bailey and his team at Fluency Plus, LLC, Mr. Ken Swindol, and Mr. William Swindol, for their thorough and professional oversight across nearly a decade of monitoring.
We also recognize the Southern Poverty Law Center and the attorneys who represented the plaintiff class. Their advocacy produced real, lasting change for students with disabilities in New Orleans, and that legacy belongs to the families who trusted them to fight for their children.
To the students and families who shared their stories, attended hearings, and held us accountable, thank you. You are why this work exists, and you will always be at the center of what we do.
Looking Ahead
The release from the Consent Judgment does not signal an end to OPSB's commitment; it affirms it. The practices, partnerships, and systems built over the last eleven years are now embedded in how we serve students with disabilities across Orleans Parish. Families who have concerns moving forward are encouraged to reach out to the school special education team leads, reach out to the NOLA-PS Student Support Ombudsman at Ombudsman@nolapublicschools.com, or contact the Louisiana Department of Education to seek dispute resolution options when needed.
"The oversight may be over, but the mission is unchanged," said OPSB Board President Leila Eames. "Orleans Parish students with disabilities deserve a system that sees them, serves them, and fights for them, and that is exactly the system we intend to keep building."
About NOLA Public Schools: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish. It includes the district's administration and elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 66 public schools and is led by Superintendent Dr. Fateama S. Fulmore.
For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps, and X @NOLAPSchools.
About NOLA Public Schools: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish. It includes the district's administration and elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 66 public schools and is led by Superintendent Dr. Fateama S. Fulmore.
For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.
