Community Outreach & Legal Training

Our Community Outreach and Legal Training (COLT) program works to: 1) train court-professionals including judges, social workers, agency staff, and probation officers on how to integrate special education law into the juvenile and criminal court context, and 2) empowers court-involved students with disabilities to advocate for their special education rights.

Education Legal Desks (ELDs)

SJP can provide onsite legal services to young people at locations throughout DC via our Education Legal Desk (ELD) model. The ELD is a flexible legal clinic in which young people have the opportunity to consult with an education attorney, free of charge, and access legal advice, brief services, and if appropriate, be referred for extended representation through our Direct Representation program. 

ELD Services Include:

  • Help understanding high school enrollment options for students who are over-age and under-credited and/or transitioning from a secure facility.

  • Assistance requesting transcripts and other educational records for graduation planning.

  • Guidance on the special education eligibility process. 

  • Support in reviewing and understanding school documents (e.g., IEPs, evaluations, etc.)

If you are interested in learning more about training opportunities or hosting an Education Legal Desk, please contact us at info@sjpdc.org.