Ezra’s Act: Protect Children with Disabilities and Require Parental Transparency in Schools. 

Parents of children with special needs place deep trust in schools to support, communicate, and collaborate with them, not to make unilateral decisions without their knowledge.

Yet that is exactly what happened to my son, within Broward County Public Schools.

My son is a child who requires structure, understanding, and consistent support. Instead of working transparently with me as his parent, critical actions were taken without my knowledge or consent, including:

• The creation of a School Safety Management Plan (SSMP)
• A Behavioral Threat Assessment conducted without parental notification
• Involvement of outside agencies, including Child Protective Services, with false allegations. 
• Involvement of law enforcement based on statements made regarding my experiences with my child that I believe were inaccurate or lacked full context
• Delayed, inconsistent, and concerning handling of records after formal requests were submitted 

At no point was I properly included in or informed of decisions that directly impacted my child’s safety, rights, or well-being.

🚨 Why This Is Especially Harmful for Special Needs Children 

Children with special needs are uniquely vulnerable within school systems.

They may:

• Struggle with communication or emotional regulation
• Be misunderstood without proper context
• Require individualized interpretation of behavior and intent 

Without direct parental involvement:

• Behaviors can be misinterpreted
• Situations can escalate unnecessarily
• Families can be subjected to outside scrutiny without full context or verification 

Parents are not optional in these processes, they are essential partners in ensuring accuracy, safety, and appropriate support.

📢 Introducing “Ezra’s Act” 

In response to these concerns, I am calling on the Florida Legislature to pass Ezra’s Act — the Parental Notification and School Accountability Act.

This legislation would ensure:

1. Mandatory Parental Notification & Consent 

Required before:

• Behavioral Threat Assessments School
• Safety Management Plans (SSMP)
• Psychological or behavioral evaluations 

2. Full Transparency & Records Access 

Parents must receive timely access to:

• Incident reports
• Witness statements
• Surveillance/video footage
• Internal communications

3. Safeguards for Special Needs Students

•  Mandatory parental involvement in all major behavioral or safety decisions
• Requirement to consider documented disability-related context before escalation

 4. Verification Before External Reporting

Schools must verify and document factual basis before involving:

• Law enforcement
•  CPS or similar agencies

5. Anti-Retaliation Protections

• No punitive action against students or parents for requesting records or asserting rights
• Legal protections for families who advocate for their children

6. Accountability & Oversight

•  Independent review of complaints involving school misconduct or improper escalation
•  Consequences for failure to follow proper procedures

⚠️ Why This Matters Now 

In Florida, there are currently insufficient safeguards ensuring that parents, especially those of special needs children are consistently informed and involved before major decisions are made.

Ezra’s Act is not yet law.

Without public support:

• These gaps remain unaddressed
• Families continue to face the same risks
• Transparency and accountability do not improve 

📊 The Reality

1. Awareness creates attention
2. Attention creates pressure
3. Pressure creates change 

We are still at the awareness stage and we need your help to move forward.

📣 What You Can Do

Sign this petition Share it with parents, educators, and advocacy groups Post in: 

• Special education communities
• IEP/504 parent groups
• Autism and disability advocacy forums
• Local Florida community groups 

💬 As a parent of a child with special needs, I never imagined I would have to fight to be included in decisions about my own child’s safety and well-being.

No family should have to experience this.

Ezra’s Act is about ensuring that parents are never left out, and that children receive support based on full understanding, not incomplete information.

Sign. Share. Help protect vulnerable children and restore parental rights.

— Deborah Gross