Why Families of Color Need to Know About the Endrew F. Case
Disclaimer: I am not an attorney. This guide is for educational and advocacy purposes only. It is not legal advice. Every child’s situation is different, so use this information to ask better questions and push for more. If you need legal advice, talk with a special education attorney.
If your child has an IEP, you need to know about Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. This case went all the way to the Supreme Court and set the standard for what schools are required to do under IDEA. Too many districts still act like they can get away with giving our kids the bare minimum. They can’t.
What Happened in Endrew F.
Endrew was a child with autism. His school kept recycling the same IEP goals year after year, and he wasn’t making real progress. His parents pulled him out and fought back.
The school argued they only had to give him “some educational benefit.” Basically: crumbs.
In 2017, the Supreme Court said no. They ruled that an IEP has to be “reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.”
Translation:
No more copy-paste goals.
No babysitting.
No passing kids along with no growth.
Why This Matters for Our Kids
Let’s be real. Black and Brown kids are underestimated every day. Schools think we should just take whatever scraps they hand out.
The Endrew F. ruling is the receipt that says: not enough.
FAPE (Free and Appropriate Public Education) means progress. Real, measurable progress.
If the IEP isn’t moving your child forward, it’s not appropriate. Period.
How to Use Endrew F. in Your Advocacy
1. Ask the question:
“How is this IEP reasonably calculated to enable my child to make progress appropriate in light of their circumstances?”
2. Demand proof, not feelings:
“Doing fine” isn’t data. Ask for scores, samples, and charts.
3. Watch for repeated goals:
If your child’s goals look the same year after year, that’s a red flag.
4. Push for challenge:
The law doesn’t require perfection, but it does require ambition. Goals should move your child forward, not keep them stuck.
5. Put it in writing:
Use language like:
“Based on the Supreme Court’s Endrew F. decision, I expect this IEP to enable meaningful progress. Please revise the goals and services to meet that standard.”
What Schools Won’t Tell You
Checking boxes isn’t enough. Compliance isn’t progress.
Lack of staff isn’t an excuse. Your child still has rights.
Parents win with this case. Families have used Endrew F. in complaints and legal actions — and they’ve won.
The Bottom Line
The Endrew F. case proves our children are entitled to more than the bare minimum. When the school says “this is all we can do,” the Supreme Court already said that’s not good enough.
Bring this case up. Quote it. Put it in your emails. Walk into your IEP meetings ready. Because if we don’t demand more, they’ll keep giving less.
Our kids deserve better. And now you’ve got the receipts to make it happen.
Resources
Disclaimer (again, for the people in the back): This is not legal advice. It’s knowledge and strategy to help you advocate. If you’re in a situation where the school refuses to follow the law, connect with a special education attorney or parent advocate for next steps.
