System officials say they are out of compliance with only one of the seven measures the court is monitoring: the requirement that they provide legally mandated services such as speech therapy and counseling without interruption.
They say they are in partial compliance with three measures, two involving the graduation rates for students with disabilities. Since 2005, the system says, the graduation rate has increased 8.9 percentage points. Still, it's only 36 percent. Last week, Alonso ordered the city's high schools to try to track down 925 students - some with disabilities and some without - who have dropped out since January and get them back into class.
In the lawsuit, the next step will be a response from Totenberg, who is expected to provide her assessment of the city's compliance. Alonso said the system will determine how to proceed based on her feedback. Totenberg also monitors a continuing special education lawsuit in Washington, where she recently issued a scathing report.
