Judge Ends 11-Year Federal Oversight Of Special Education In New Orleans Schools

On March 31, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey ended a federal consent judgment that had required oversight of special education services in New Orleans charter schools since 2015.

The consent judgment stemmed from a 2010 class-action lawsuit filed by parents of students with disabilities against the Louisiana Department of Education. The suit alleged that charter schools discriminated against students with disabilities in admissions and failed to provide appropriate services under federal law.

The case arose following the post–Hurricane Katrina restructuring of New Orleans schools, when the state converted most schools to charter operations. The Orleans Parish . . .