GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County mother says her son with autism went from A’s and B’s to struggling after his school cut his support without telling her. Now, a state investigation found the district violated federal law.
Bernique Deal told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson her 16-year-old son passed a rigorous test to get into Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology, one of the state’s top magnet programs.
He’d maintained A’s and B’s throughout elementary and middle school with help from a co-teacher and executive functioning support, she said.
Then in October 2024, the school cut his consultative services in half and removed nearly all his accommodations, including having directions repeated and breaking assignments into manageable parts, according to a 31-page Georgia Department of Education report.
“He used to love school, he used to get A’s, and then he started not wanting to talk about school,” Deal said. “Because he is autistic, he does not know how to express what was happening.”
Deal says when she started asking questions, school officials suggested her son wasn’t a good fit for the program.
“They were using the actual grades to say, it’s not working out. This might not be the right school for him,” she said.
Deal filed a complaint with the Georgia Department of Education. Their investigation found the district “failed to implement services” required in his Individualized Education Program (IEP).
The report also concluded Gwinnett County Schools is “not in compliance with provision of free appropriate public education,” a right under federal law.
The state ordered the district to provide three hours of compensatory or make-up services and train all special education staff at the school.
The district has until May 29, 2026, to complete all corrective actions including staff training, policy revisions, and documentation of services provided.
In a statement, a Gwinnett County Schools spokesperson said, “Due to federal and state privacy laws, the district cannot discuss specific student cases. However, GCPS remains committed to fully adhering to all recommendations and guidelines issued by the GaDOE and will continue working with the parent to address their concerns and implement an appropriate resolution.”
The spokesperson added, “In alignment with district policies and our commitment to continuous quality improvement, we review situations like this to identify opportunities for improvement.”
Deal says she’s fighting to keep her son in the school he worked so hard to get into.
“He was able to get into the school because he has the ability, and what they’re doing by not supporting him is highlighting his inability,” she said. “And that’s not fair.”
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