A Connecticut college student can’t read or write. She blames Hartford Public Schools 

A 19-year-old student is taking legal action against her Connecticut school district after she graduated high school unable to read, write or do math.

Aleysha Ortiz and her family moved to Connecticut from Puerto Rico to pursue the American dream. But now they’re disillusioned with the public school system.

“We heard Connecticut had the best education and things like that, which is one of the reasons we came to Hartford,” Ortiz told The Connecticut Mirror. “We came to get better opportunities.”

She attended public school from age 6 onward, eventually graduating as an honor roll student, despite not being able to read or write. 

In addition to being an English Language Learner (ELL), Ortiz struggled with ADHD and a speech impediment. 

Since she wasn’t taught basic skills, Ortiz was forced to survive school by using speech-to-text technology, calculators, and recording and listening back to classes.  

“Since [my junior year], I told my case manager I want to learn how to write, and she’d tell me, ‘In college, they don’t do that. They go in there, record and leave. they do the same thing you do,’” Ortiz recalled. “I’d say ‘Yeah, but I still want to know how to write. It’s my right.’ I wanted to learn, but [I was told] there wasn’t time, and there weren’t teachers to sit down and teach me.” 

According to an anonymous Hartford paraeducator, Ortiz’s experience is common. 

“I think this happens a lot through Hartford schools,” said the source. “I don’t think a lot of kids in Hartford get their services. She’s not the only one. … Any school [in the district], you’ll find kids, even that are not in special ed, that don’t even know how to read and write – they just pass them over.” 

Despite having some of the best-funded public schools in the nation – over $21,000 per student on average – Connecticut fails its special education and ELL students in shocking numbers.  

Statewide, 49% and 44% of students are proficient in reading and math, respectively.  

For special needs students, those scores drop to 16% and 13%. ELLs score just 11% and 14%.  

And in Hartford, it’s even worse: just 3% of special education students read or do math at grade level, and only 5-8% of ELLs are proficient.  

“People didn’t forget about me. No, people chose not to [educate me],” Ortiz said. “People chose not to [change] my IEP. People chose not to do this and that and this and that.  

“I’m the one paying the consequences, while those people are still getting their checks.” 

Sadly, Ortiz’ story isn’t unique to Connecticut. 

Countless special needs students are being left behind in public schools nationwide. 

Earlier this year, a Virginia district sued a single father for $600,000 for trying to make sure his son’s legally mandated services were received. 

A Colorado family filed a lawsuit against its district for flatly refusing to meet the conditions of their daughter’s IEP [Individualized Education Program].  

And an Arizona paraprofessional blew the whistle on his district for staffing its classrooms with unqualified educators.  

Now, Ortiz has filed a due process complaint against her district. Due process gives families of special education students recourse when the proper education services haven’t been provided.  

The future isn’t entirely bleak for Ortiz.  

As an honor roll graduate of Hartford Public High School, she enrolled part-time in the University of Connecticut-Hartford. But she still feels robbed of what she might have accomplished.  

“I was pushed through. I was moved from class to class not being taught anything,” Ortiz concluded. “They stole something from me … I wanted to do more, and I didn’t have the chance to do that.”