A Largo mother's formal state complaint over her 4-year-old son's lapsed special education services reflects a national trend: written special education complaints jumped 48% in one school year, according to a new survey of 31 states.

A Largo mother filed a formal state complaint after her 4-year-old son's special education services lapsed, part of a national surge in which complaints jumped 48% in a single school year.

Jessica Carrigg's son Bastian was diagnosed with autism at age 3. He also has ADHD and a language disorder and uses a tablet to communicate. Carrigg filed the complaint over disagreements about his Individualized Education Program (IEP) and the level of services he qualifies for, she told Spectrum Bay News 9 on Aug. 28.

"Right now, we have a lapse in services because we are not getting the funding that my child deserves and is recorded in the IEP," Carrigg said.

Written special education complaints filed with state agencies jumped from 8,489 in the 2024-25 school year to 12,522 in 2025-26, according to public data from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). That is a 48% increase in one year, based on responses from 31 states.

The CEC and the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) conducted the survey. Due process hearing requests also rose, from 9,246 to 9,468, and mediation requests climbed from 4,999 to 5,192 over the same period.

Florida was among the states that provided data, but CEC did not release Florida's individual numbers. Bay News 9 reported it has requested those figures from the Florida Department of Education.

Jessica Silber, a special education advocate who works with Florida families navigating disputes under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), said she and other advocates have helped families file more due process complaints and state complaints in the past year than in years past combined. Silber pointed to funding shortfalls, staffing challenges and a growing number of students qualifying for IEPs as factors driving the increase.

Silber also noted that formal complaints rarely stem from neglect or malice. Most involve families trying to navigate a complicated system.

CEC Executive Director Chad Rummel said in an Aug. 7 email to K-12 Dive that underfunding, personnel shortages and a growing perception that the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is less responsive to parents are fueling the trend. OCR has reduced its workforce and closed seven of its 12 regional offices.

Pinellas County Schools has not publicly commented on Carrigg's complaint or the national trend.

Written state complaints are free to file and trigger a state-led investigation. States must resolve them within 60 days. Carrigg said she expects a decision on her complaint by mid-September.

Pinellas County Schools operates an Exceptional Student Education program for students in pre-K through 12th grade who have an IEP. Families with questions can reach the district's ESE office at (727) 588-6032.