Parents Leading for Educational Equity (PLEE), a local organization that helps parents and community members collectively fight against educational injustices, recently served as the plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against Providence Public School District. Ramona Santos Torres, PLEE Co-Founder and Executive Director, utilized her experience from the lawsuit and her UEP internship at the Rhode Island Center for Justice to develop a system to help other community-based organizations navigate the class-action lawsuit process.
“I wanted to better understand the unintended consequences of filing class action lawsuits and how the law has been used to resolve special education issues,” Ramona said. “We needed to develop a more robust method for PLEE and other community-based organizations to determine whether it is appropriate for us to become plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit.”
For her capstone project, “Strengths And Limitations Of Using Class Action Lawsuits To Settle Special Education Issues,” Ramona worked with Jennifer Wood, the Executive Director of the Center for Justice. The two created a decision-making matrix tool for community-based organizations to use when navigating whether to serve as a plaintiff for a class-action lawsuit.
“By developing a decision-making matrix, the research equips community-based organizations with a structured tool to evaluate the appropriateness of becoming plaintiffs in class action lawsuits. This empowerment allows organizations to make informed decisions that align with their missions and maximize their impact, ensuring they can effectively advocate for the rights of students with special needs.”
The project used an oral history methodology to highlight the perspectives of families of and advocates for students who require special education.
“This approach ensures that the voices of those directly affected by special education policies are heard and considered in advocacy efforts, leading to more inclusive and representative solutions.”
In her research, Ramona found class-action lawsuits as an effective strategy to help students access quality special education, but only as a last resort due to their complexity and lengthy process. Her research emphasized the importance of accessible, affordable, and culturally responsive legal support for parents alongside a strong network of peer support.
“Throughout this process, I learned that even when a judge has ruled and mandated a district to comply with the law, implementation takes time. Class action lawsuits are not magic wands that will make systemic issues go away or be resolved overnight. This knowledge has underscored the importance of strategic legal action and reinforced the need for continuous advocacy and community engagement to drive meaningful change in education.”
Ramona encourages future UEP students to engage with the Providence and Rhode Island communities to understand and properly address their needs. She particularly suggests they look into community-based organizations and how they serve local stakeholders.
“Learn about our local context and community. Learn about what community organizations are doing to change the outcomes for students and families in Providence and other municipalities in RI.”
Favorites:
Memory: "All the moments at the Ed Department talking to my fellow UEP classmates."
Event: "The Education Department Graduation Ceremony. There was so much love in the air."
Place to study: "Rockefeller Library."
Place to eat near campus: "Caliente Mexican Grill."