What is the Chanda Smith Consent Decree?
The Chanda Smith Consent Decree was ordered by Judge Laughlin Waters on April 15, 1996 as the result of a negotiated settlement to Chanda Smith vs. Los Angeles Unified School District. The Consent Decree was developed based upon a 199-page report prepared by consultants Louis S. Barber and Mary Margaret Kerr. The consultants report found that the district was systemically out of compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (P.L. 105-17).
