For many students, school trips are the highlight of the year—an opportunity to explore new places, bond with classmates, and create lifelong memories. But for students like my daughter, Tessa, who has developmental disabilities, these experiences often come with barriers that shouldn’t exist.
Last year, Tessa was supposed to attend the 5th grade camping trip with her peers. She was excited. I was reassured multiple times that she would be included. I even received emails confirming her overnight accommodations. Then, just days before departure, I was blindsided:
❌ I was told she was no longer eligible to stay overnight.
❌ The staff space that was previously offered to her was suddenly “needed elsewhere.”
❌ They assumed, without evidence, that she wouldn’t be able to manage the trip.
❌ The special education director was willing to pay for additional support, but by the time the school acknowledged the issue, it was too late to make arrangements.
Please note that I truly appreciate Tessa’s school, teachers, and support staff. This blog post is not a criticism of them but rather an effort to bring awareness to the systemic challenges that exist—even in the best schools in the state. Our children are included, until they aren’t.
In the end, I had to drive over an hour each way, two days in a row, so she could attend at all. She was wanted by her teachers and her peers. There was no offer of alternative transportation or reimbursement. Parents of students without disabilities didn’t face these same challenges.
Tessa missed out on the full experience, not because of her abilities, but because the system failed to prioritize inclusion from the start.
Chicago: A New Trip, the Same Old Story
This year, Tessa’s 6th grade class is planning a trip to Chicago in May. After what happened last year, I immediately reached out to make sure she would be included—not waiting until the last minute. I asked what the plan was and what we needed to do to ensure she could participate.
At first, I was told that her paraprofessional and special education teacher would accompany her during the day. This was an important step forward. However, when it came to the overnight accommodations, I was given an unfair ultimatum:
🔺 Either I attend the trip myself and supervise her at night,
🔺 Or I pay out of pocket for someone to attend and stay overnight with her.
This is not a solution. This is exclusion.
Unfair Cost Burdens
When I asked for a breakdown of the cost, I discovered another issue:
💰 Base cost per student: $560
💰 Cost for students requiring accommodations: $1,168 (That would be Tessa and anyone with a developmental disability.)
That’s more than double the cost! And that's the minimum.
Parents were told they could share a room with another family to reduce costs, but the extra financial burden still remains. No other parents have to worry about this expense—only those of students with disabilities.
This is not just unfair—it is illegal.
What the Law Says
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) all require that schools provide reasonable accommodations to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to school-sponsored activities, including field trips.
💡 Schools cannot make parents responsible for providing or paying for accommodations.💡 Schools must provide support to ensure students with disabilities can fully participate.💡 Schools cannot create additional financial burdens that make it harder for students with disabilities to attend.
The fact that Tessa’s trip cost more and that I am being required to attend or pay for a caregiver violates these protections.
Advocating for Change
After what happened last year, I refuse to let this happen again—not just for Tessa, but for every student who deserves to be included.
I formally submitted a written request to the district, asking for:
✔ A detailed cost breakdown to explain why accommodations cost significantly more.✔ A district-funded solution for overnight support so parents are not unfairly burdened.✔ A commitment to making future trips accessible for all students from the start.
I also called for a SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee) meeting to address these systemic issues, ensuring no other families face these last-minute changes that strip children of their right to participate.
It should never be this hard. Schools should plan for inclusion from the start—not scramble at the last minute.
Moving Forward
Tessa deserves to go on this trip, just like every other student. She deserves the chance to make memories with her peers. She deserves to be included without extra burdens on our family.
And most importantly—this should never happen to another child again.
Inclusion is not a favor. It’s not optional. It’s the law. And it’s time for schools to start acting like it.
What Can You Do?
📢 If you’re a parent facing similar challenges, speak up. The more voices we have advocating for inclusion, the harder it is for schools to ignore. I WILL HELP YOU ... ASK.
📢 If you work in education, push for proactive planning. Students with disabilities should never be an afterthought.
📢 If you care about inclusion, share this story. Change happens when people demand it.
📢 Write the Michigan Department of Education (mde-micomplaints@michigan.gov). Change happens when people demand it.
Tessa’s story isn’t just about her—it’s about the thousands of children with disabilities who deserve better. It’s about the parents who couldn’t—or felt they shouldn’t—fight for their kids, choosing compliance so their children could attend trips with their peers, all while fearing the consequences of speaking up. And I won’t stop fighting until every child has the inclusion and respect they deserve.
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