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ALACHUA

GAINESVILLE, Alachua County, Florida
★★★★★ Not yet rated by parents
👨‍🎓 28,204 students 📋 3,958 students with IEPs 🗣️ 0 parent reports ☎️ (352)955-7300
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These are parent-submitted experiences about ALACHUA as an institution, posted directly by parents. iep.tips is a neutral platform and does not verify these accounts — they are families' own statements and opinions, not verified facts or legal advice, and not a review of any individual employee. See something false or abusive? Use the Report link. Read our disclaimer.

No parent reports for ALACHUA yet.

If you've navigated an IEP here, your story could be the roadmap another family needs. Share it »

🛟 How to fight for your child's IEP — and who to call

If ALACHUA isn't giving your child the services they're legally owed, you have a clear, federally-protected path. Under IDEA these steps are the same everywhere — work them in order and put everything in writing.

Step 1

Request an IEP meeting — in writing

Email your child's case manager and the district's Director of Exceptional/Special Education. State the problem and the services you're requesting, and ask for a formal IEP-team meeting. Keep a copy of everything. District office: (352)955-7300.

Step 2

File a state complaint

If the district violated an IDEA rule in the last year, file a signed written complaint with your state's special-education dispute-resolution office (below). The state must investigate and issue a decision — usually within 60 days.

Step 3

Ask for mediation

Request free, voluntary mediation through the state — a neutral, trained mediator helps you and the district reach a written agreement. It's faster and less adversarial than a hearing.

Step 4

File for a due-process hearing

For serious disputes over identification, evaluation, placement, or FAPE, file for a due-process hearing — a formal legal proceeding. Consider getting an advocate or attorney first (see Protection & Advocacy below).

⚖️ Where to file & get free help in Florida

Florida Department of Education — Special-Education Dispute Resolution
File a state complaint (IDEA), request mediation, or a due-process hearing
· 🔗 visit site

File a written state complaint within 1 year of the violation, request free mediation, or file for a due-process hearing. Start here if the district is out of compliance.

Disability Rights Florida
Protection & Advocacy — free legal help for special-education & disability rights
☎️ 850-488-9071 · 🔗 visit site

Your state's federally-funded disability rights agency. Free information, advice, and sometimes legal representation for IEP and special-education disputes.

📚 Know-your-rights resources

Your legal footing: Under IDEA every eligible child is entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and an IEP built to their needs. Section 504/ADA also bar disability discrimination.

• Parent Training & Information Center (PTI): free coaching for your state — find your center »

• CADRE (national dispute-resolution center): cadreworks.org »

• U.S. Dept. of Education OSEP (administers IDEA) & Office for Civil Rights for 504/ADA complaints.

Tip: bring a written list of requests to every meeting, ask for the district's response in writing, and never sign an IEP you don't agree with — you can consent to parts and dispute the rest.

💪 Not just your child? Use strength in numbers.

If other ALACHUA families are hitting the same wall, it's a district problem — and numbers change the outcome. Send this page to your social-media contacts and Facebook parent groups, and ask other parents at drop-off and pickup: is this happening to you too? Gather the stories here so the pattern is documented. Once you can prove a bigger issue: wear matching-color shirts for solidarity, protest peacefully, pack school-board meetings, reach out to government officials, give interviews, and send press releases to the local newsrooms below to bring the media in.

See the full step-by-step » Organize an event »

📣 Take action for ALACHUA

Systemic problems get fixed when they become public. Below is local press near this district and the officials responsible for Alachua County.

📰 Local newsrooms

Show within
WUFT (PBS)
PBS — TV
0 mi
· 🔗 site
WCJB-TV (ABC)
ABC affiliate — TV
0 mi
· 🔗 site
WNBW-DT (NBC)
NBC affiliate — TV
0 mi
· 🔗 site
WOGX (FOX)
FOX affiliate — TV
0 mi
· 🔗 site
WGFL (CBS)
CBS affiliate — TV
0 mi
· 🔗 site
The Gainesville Sun
Daily newspaper
0 mi
· 🔗 site
Gainesville Sun
Local newspaper
1 mi
· 🔍 find “Gainesville Sun” online
Mainstreet Daily News
Local newspaper
1 mi
· 🔍 find “Mainstreet Daily News” online
Alachua County Today
Local newspaper
14 mi
· 🔍 find “Alachua County Today” online
Bradford County Telegraph
Local newspaper
24 mi
· 🔍 find “Bradford County Telegraph” online
Ocala Star-Banner
Daily newspaper
34 mi
· 🔗 site
Star-Banner
Local newspaper
34 mi
· 🔍 find “Star-Banner” online
Lake City Reporter
Local newspaper
39 mi
· 🔍 find “Lake City Reporter” online
Palatka Daily News
Local newspaper
40 mi
· 🔍 find “Palatka Daily News” online
Clay Today
Local newspaper
48 mi
· 🔍 find “Clay Today” online
Citrus County Chronicle
Local newspaper
51 mi
· 🔍 find “Citrus County Chronicle” online
Villages Daily Sun
Local newspaper
53 mi
· 🔍 find “Villages Daily Sun” online
WJXT (Independent)
Independent — TV
61 mi
· 🔗 site
WJCT (PBS)
PBS — TV
61 mi
· 🔗 site
WTLV (NBC)
NBC affiliate — TV
61 mi
· 🔗 site
WCWJ (CW)
CW affiliate — TV
61 mi
· 🔗 site
WJXX (ABC)
ABC affiliate — TV
61 mi
· 🔗 site
WFOX-TV (FOX)
FOX affiliate — TV
61 mi
· 🔗 site
WJAX-TV (CBS)
CBS affiliate — TV
61 mi
· 🔗 site
The Florida Times-Union
Daily newspaper
61 mi
· 🔗 site
St. Augustine Record
Local newspaper
64 mi
· 🔍 find “St. Augustine Record” online
Daily Commercial
Local newspaper
64 mi
· 🔍 find “Daily Commercial” online
Palm Coast Observer
Local newspaper
67 mi
· 🔍 find “Palm Coast Observer” online
Ponte Vedra Recorder
Local newspaper
69 mi
· 🔍 find “Ponte Vedra Recorder” online
Jacksonville Daily Record
Local newspaper
71 mi
· 🔍 find “Jacksonville Daily Record” online
Florida Times-Union
Local newspaper
71 mi
· 🔍 find “Florida Times-Union” online
West Volusia Beacon
Local newspaper
73 mi
· 🔍 find “West Volusia Beacon” online
Hernando Sun
Local newspaper
75 mi
· 🔍 find “Hernando Sun” online
Ormond Beach Observer
Local newspaper
80 mi
· 🔍 find “Ormond Beach Observer” online
Clermont News Leader
Local newspaper
83 mi
· 🔍 find “Clermont News Leader” online
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Daily newspaper
84 mi
· 🔗 site
Fernandina Beach News-Leader
Local newspaper
85 mi
· 🔍 find “Fernandina Beach News-Leader” online
Apopka Chief
Local newspaper
85 mi
· 🔍 find “Apopka Chief” online
Madison County Carrier
Local newspaper
87 mi
· 🔍 find “Madison County Carrier” online
Tribune and Georgian
Local newspaper
90 mi
· 🔍 find “Tribune and Georgian” online

🏛️ Officials for Alachua County

Florida Department of Education
State education agency — special-education oversight · FL
· 🔗 site
Office of the Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis
Governor · FL
· 🔗 site
U.S. Dept. of Education — Office for Civil Rights
Disability discrimination complaints (504/ADA) · National
✉️ OCR@ed.gov · ☎️ 1-800-421-3481 · 🔗 site
U.S. Dept. of Education — OSEP
Federal special-education oversight (IDEA) · National
✉️ OSEP@ed.gov · ☎️ 1-800-872-5327 · 🔗 site