(WAND) —The organization that operates three facilities in Illinois has responded to the orders of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
Last week, ISBE announced that all students were to be transitioned out of three schools owned by the Menta Education Group. The facilities are located in Springfield, Centralia, and LaSalle.
According to the agency, the facilities began operation before being approved. All three have been operating as therapeutic day schools for students with significant social-emotional disabilities.
ISBE denied the facilities’ applications for approval and notified them to cease operations to students from Illinois public school districts as of Oct. 20. Around 125 students from 41 school districts attend the schools.
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Menta released a letter to students, parents, and school districts outlining their next course of action. The organization believes the decision to be unlawful and retaliatory. A representative from Menta told WAND News that they are seeking a court injunction to prevent the closures from taking place.
WAND News is working to learn more, and will update this story with the latest information.
Find Menta's full letter below:
"To our valued students, parents, and school districts,
"We begin with a heartfelt apology to all those who have been adversely affected by the recent irresponsible and unlawful actions of ISBE regarding our three new programs, actions that have shown a disregard for the well-being and education of Illinois students.
"For fifty years, our unwavering commitment has been to provide the highest quality of service to our students and their families. The safety and welfare of our students remain at the very core of our mission, along with a deep dedication to meeting the unique needs of our students and the communities we serve.
"Communities like Centralia, La Salle, and Springfield are no different from many others that have sought our assistance due to the significant challenges their students face. Our fundamental goal has always been to offer solutions to students and communities in need.
"Hence, we are forced to respond to ISBE's recent decision to use unlawful and retaliatory exercise of authority in deeming the three new Menta programs in La Salle, Springfield, and Centralia as "Not Approved”.
"We want to emphasize that despite now denying our applications for approval, we want to clarify that ISBE had originally approved these programs. We had met all the prerequisites for approval as per applicable regulations. ISBE had not only verbally and explicitly informed all three of our programs that they were approved at the conclusion of the final ISBE "walkthrough", but they also issued our Private Facility and RCDTS Codes to all three programs, approved calendars, and all three programs received approved rates from the Illinois Purchased Care Review Board, which only occurs if a program is approved by ISBE. In essence, despite unequivocal evidence that these three programs were approved by ISBE, ISBE now asserts that the programs are not approved, solely because they failed to issue a follow-up written approval letter due to their own incompetence, and demands immediate shutdown.
"We were invited into these communities to address pressing needs, and our hearts go out to the students and families who may be impacted by this irresponsible decision. Please be assured that we are working endlessly to ensure that the unlawful actions of ISBE are resolved, clear our name of any false accusations, and continue our vital work in support of students and their communities."
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