Legal Battle Leads to Certification of School for Deaf

The parents of a 4-year-old deaf girl, who have been fighting Capistrano Unified School District for two years to fund her private education, declared victory last week after the state certified Rancho Viejo School in Rancho Santa Margarita.

“The most important thing now is that the children have a state-of-the-art school with people who are going to care for them and provide a proper education,” said Carlos Olamendi, who helped start the private school two years ago for his daughter and other deaf children.

State officials ruled last month that Capistrano Unified failed to provide an appropriate education to Mariacristina Olamendi. The California Special Education Hearing Office ordered the school district to develop a plan to meet the girl’s educational needs.

But the office declined to order the school district to pay for Mariacristina’s private schooling, citing Rancho Viejo’s lack of state certification.

The district, which spent about $125,000 in legal fees fighting the Olamendis, appealed the decision but was denied earlier this month. Other appeals are under consideration by the district, which maintains that it can provide an adequate education for hearing-impaired students, including Mariacristina, said Doreen Lohnes, assistant superintendent for student services.

District officials continue to develop an education plan for the child and do not expect the certification ruling to require them to pay the girl’s $525 monthly tuition at Rancho Viejo, Lohnes said.