A Pinellas County mother filed a formal complaint over her 4-year-old son's special education services as national complaints jumped 46% in one school year.
Jessica Carrigg filed the state complaint after disagreements over the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for her son, Bastian, who was diagnosed with autism at age 3. Carrigg told Spectrum Bay News 9 that Bastian also has ADHD and a language disorder and uses a tablet to communicate.
"Right now, we have a lapse in services because we are not getting the funding that my child deserves and is recorded in the IEP," Carrigg said.
She expects a decision by mid-September.
A national pattern
Written state complaints in special education rose from 7,907 during the 2024-25 school year to 11,523 in 2025-26, according to a survey of 31 states by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE). K-12 Dive first reported the precise figures.
The trend predates this year's spike. Complaints had already climbed 22% between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, according to an analysis by the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education.
CEC Executive Director Chad Rummel pointed to chronic underfunding and staffing shortages as primary drivers. In an Aug. 7 email to K-12 Dive, Rummel said families also perceive the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) as less responsive to parent complaints, following federal workforce reductions and the consolidation of regional offices.
What it means in Pinellas
Florida was among the states that provided data for the survey, but CEC did not release Florida's individual numbers. Spectrum Bay News 9 reported it has requested those figures from the Florida Department of Education.
Special education advocate Jessica Silber, who works with families navigating disputes under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), said the complaints often stem from systemic strain, not bad intent. Silber told Bay News 9 that she and fellow advocates have helped families file more due process and state complaints in the past year than in years past combined.
The Pinellas County School Board voted 7-0 on June 23 to apply for about $28.4 million in federal IDEA funding for the 2026-27 school year, according to board records. That total includes $27.6 million for K-12 services and roughly $780,000 for preschool services.
Written state complaints are free to file and trigger a state-led investigation. States must resolve them within 60 days.
Pinellas families seeking help with Exceptional Student Education (ESE) services can contact the district's ESE department at 727-588-6032.
