Learning Care Group paid a $50,000 civil penalty to the United States and $12,000 in compensatory damages to an individual complainant to settle disability-discrimination allegations involving a Chesapeake, Virginia, daycare. The Justice Department announced the resolution October 21.
The allegation concerns afterschool access
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia says it investigated a complaint that La Petite Academy–Taylor Road refused to enroll a child in its afterschool program because the child had a mobility disability and used a wheelchair.
The government alleged that Learning Care Group, through that location, denied the child the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the program because of the wheelchair use. The matter involved Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the announcement.
The department says its Fair Housing Testing Program conducted testing during the investigation. It describes that process as having people make inquiries to gather information without intending to use the service. The announcement does not provide the individual testing results.
What is known about the resolution
The release describes the penalty and damages as paid. It also says the company agreed to additional remedial actions, but does not list those actions or give a timetable.
Learning Care Group operates more than 1,150 schools nationwide under eleven brands, the department says. That company-wide scale is different from the scope of the alleged incident: the release identifies the Taylor Road location. It does not establish that all the company's schools engaged in the alleged conduct or specify which locations the additional remedies cover.
What families can check
The announcement resolves allegations; it does not report an admission of liability, a trial judgment or whether the child ultimately enrolled. Without the operative agreement, the public release alone cannot establish particular new admission procedures or policy deadlines.
For ADA information, the department directs readers to its confidential ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 for voice calls or (833) 610-1264 for TTY. The release says accessibility specialists answer questions from individuals, businesses and governments.