Georgia special education violations nearly triple as student needs rise

This investigation matters because:

• Special education compliance cases in Georgia have nearly tripled since 2021, signaling growing problems with how districts serve and discipline students with disabilities.
• The Cobb County case shows how discipline decisions tied to disability-related behavior can trigger state violations and force policy and training changes.
• With more students nationwide needing special education services, strained staffing and uneven training could leave more families facing disrupted learning and denied supports.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The number of Georgia school districts found out of compliance with special education law has nearly tripled in recent years, rising from 68 cases in 2021 to 190 last year, according to records from the Georgia Department of Education.

The trend is illustrated by a recent case in Cobb County, where the state found the district imposed discipline for behaviors directly resulting from a student’s disability.

The Georgia Department of Education determined in January Cobb County Schools was out of compliance with special education law after it repeatedly suspended a 15-year-old student with autism.

The state agency found the district failed to properly implement parts of the student’s individualized education program, according to a formal complaint resolution issued Jan. 13.

Donna Reynolds, a former special education director at a Georgia school district who has worked in the field for more than 30 years, said the case highlights broader concerns about teacher and administrator training.

“Yes, kids with disabilities can have disciplinary problems. However, they don’t do it in a vacuum, or they don’t do it separately from their disability.” Reynolds said. “There’s a lack of training with the teachers, understanding the disabilities in and of themselves.”

The increase in compliance cases comes as the number of students requesting special education services in U.S. public schools has reached an all-time high, according to a 2024 report by the National Center for Education Statistics. The number rose from 6.4 million students a decade ago to 7.5 million today.

“I think there’s more awareness of disabilities. Therefore more diagnoses. And the second reason is we’re not sure why, but there just seems to be more kids with disabilities,” Reynolds said.

“[It’s] significant because we already have a strained system of resources. And now we’re putting more on those strained resources,” Reynolds said.

Leo Bromann and Cobb County schools

Leo Bromann attended Harrison High School in Cobb County from Aug. 4, 2025, to Nov. 12, 2025. He was eligible for special education services under the categories of autism and speech and language impairment.

Leo’s parents filed a formal complaint with the Georgia Department of Education in November 2025 after he received 14 days of out-of-school suspension during the first semester.

The discipline began after the family moved to Cobb County from San Diego. School records show administrators wanted the 15-year-old in an alternative school. Leo’s parents told the district they wanted their son to stay at Harrison High School.

“From the moment that we did that, the discipline of suspension started to come pretty quickly,” said Paul Bromann, Leo’s father. “In the span of about four weeks, he received 14 out-of-school suspensions in that time,”

Paul Bromann said when Leo attended a previous school in San Diego, they developed a plan that worked, including morning check-ins and allowing him to use noise-canceling headphones when class or the gym got too loud.

When the family moved to Georgia, he said the family provided the district with Leo’s California individualized education program and behavior intervention plan.

The district developed a Cobb County individualized education program and behavior intervention plan with an implementation date of Aug. 4, 2025.

The Georgia Department of Education investigation found the district was in compliance with implementation of the individualized education program. However, the state found the district was not in compliance with discipline procedures.

The state investigation found the district did not take into consideration Leo’s development in relation to his autism when determining whether or not his behavior was a manifestation of his disability. The district also failed to consider that Leo had engaged in this behavior since the beginning of the school year, according to the state investigation.

The state found the district was not in compliance with provision of free appropriate public education.

Leo’s parents withdrew him from the district on Nov. 12, 2025.

In a Dec. 15, 2025, response to the state, Cobb County Schools denied the allegations of noncompliance. The district stated it followed progressive discipline which is consistent for all students based on the student code of conduct.

After the Georgia Department of Education found Cobb County Schools out of compliance, it ordered the district to retrain staff. First, the district must review its policies and procedures — including who has authority over discipline decisions — and submit updated procedures to the state for approval by Feb. 13, 2026.

Once those procedures are approved, Cobb must submit training materials explaining how staff should carry them out by March 13, 2026.

After the state approves the training materials, the district must train all special education teachers, staff and administrators at Harrison High School. Cobb must document the training with the materials used and sign-in rosters, and send that documentation to the state by April 17, 2026.

“I want the district to look at Leo and see not a problem,” said Paul Bromann. “I want them to look at Leo and see a huge opportunity, a massively talented kid who has so much to offer.”

A Cobb County district spokesperson declined an on-camera interview. The district shared this statement:

“Based on an independent review, the district is in compliance with the Implementation of IEP. We are dedicated to finding the best path of learning for every student. Throughout this student’s enrollment, the District convened multiple IEP meetings, implemented behavioral supports, collaborated with the family, and adjusted strategies to address the student’s needs. The focus of every employee in Cobb Schools is to ensure every student is safe, and in an environment where they can learn and grow. This continues to be the case, and any claim otherwise is false.”

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