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DeKalb County

Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee
★★★★★ Not yet rated by parents
👨‍🎓 3,644 students 📋 445 students with IEPs 🗣️ 0 parent reports ☎️ (615)597-4084
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These are parent-submitted experiences about DeKalb County 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 DeKalb County yet.

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

If DeKalb County 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: (615)597-4084.

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 Tennessee

Tennessee 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 Tennessee
Protection & Advocacy — free legal help for special-education & disability rights
☎️ 615-298-1080 · 🔗 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 DeKalb County 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 DeKalb County

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

📰 Local newsrooms

Show within
Herald-Citizen
Local newspaper
23 mi
· 🔍 find “Herald-Citizen” online
Lebanon Democrat
Local newspaper
32 mi
· 🔍 find “Lebanon Democrat” online
Wilson Post
Local newspaper
32 mi
· 🔍 find “Wilson Post” online
The Daily News Journal
Local newspaper
33 mi
· 🔍 find “The Daily News Journal” online
Murfreesboro Post
Local newspaper
33 mi
· 🔍 find “Murfreesboro Post” online
Manchester Times
Local newspaper
36 mi
· 🔍 find “Manchester Times” online
Crossville Chronicle
Local newspaper
45 mi
· 🔍 find “Crossville Chronicle” online
The Gallatin News Examiner
Local newspaper
46 mi
· 🔍 find “The Gallatin News Examiner” online
Tullahoma News
Local newspaper
47 mi
· 🔍 find “Tullahoma News” online
Grundy County Herald
Local newspaper
48 mi
· 🔍 find “Grundy County Herald” online
Times Gazette
Local newspaper
49 mi
· 🔍 find “Times Gazette” online
Sewanee Mountain Messenger
Local newspaper
53 mi
· 🔍 find “Sewanee Mountain Messenger” online
WKRN-TV (ABC)
ABC affiliate — TV
56 mi
· 🔗 site
WSMV-TV (NBC)
NBC affiliate — TV
56 mi
· 🔗 site
WTVF (CBS)
CBS affiliate — TV
56 mi
· 🔗 site
WNPT (PBS)
PBS — TV
56 mi
· 🔗 site
WZTV (FOX)
FOX affiliate — TV
56 mi
· 🔗 site
WNAB (CW)
CW affiliate — TV
56 mi
· 🔗 site
Nashville Ledger
Local newspaper
56 mi
· 🔍 find “Nashville Ledger” online
Nashville Scene
Local newspaper
56 mi
· 🔍 find “Nashville Scene” online
The Tennessean
Local newspaper
56 mi
· 🔍 find “The Tennessean” online
The Tennessean (Nashville)
Daily newspaper
56 mi
· 🔗 site
Williamson Herald
Local newspaper
60 mi
· 🔍 find “Williamson Herald” online
Clinton County News
Local newspaper
63 mi
· 🔍 find “Clinton County News” online
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Daily newspaper
69 mi
· 🔗 site
WRCB (NBC)
NBC affiliate — TV
69 mi
· 🔗 site
WTVC (ABC)
ABC affiliate — TV
69 mi
· 🔗 site
WDEF-TV (CBS)
CBS affiliate — TV
69 mi
· 🔗 site
WTCI (PBS)
PBS — TV
69 mi
· 🔗 site
WFLI-TV (CW)
CW affiliate — TV
69 mi
· 🔍 find “WFLI-TV (CW)” online
Elk Valley Times
Local newspaper
70 mi
· 🔍 find “Elk Valley Times” online
Ashland City Times
Local newspaper
72 mi
· 🔍 find “Ashland City Times” online
The Daily Herald
Local newspaper
73 mi
· 🔍 find “The Daily Herald” online
Roane County News
Local newspaper
74 mi
· 🔍 find “Roane County News” online
Daily Post Athenian
Local newspaper
76 mi
· 🔍 find “Daily Post Athenian” online
Cleveland Daily Banner
Local newspaper
78 mi
· 🔍 find “Cleveland Daily Banner” online
Bowling Green Daily News
Daily newspaper
79 mi
· 🔗 site
WBKO (ABC)
ABC affiliate — TV
81 mi
· 🔗 site
WKYU-TV (PBS)
PBS — TV
81 mi
· 🔗 site
WNKY (NBC)
NBC affiliate — TV
81 mi
· 🔗 site

🏛️ Officials for DeKalb County

Office of the Governor of Tennessee Bill Lee
Governor · TN
· 🔗 site
Tennessee Department of Education
State education agency — special-education oversight · TN
· 🔗 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