Unveiling Neglect: Massachusetts' Mistake in Placing Autistic Students at Shrub Oak International School

In October 2022, Uxbridge mother Elizabeth Carlson received a puzzling photo of her 18-year-old autistic son, Matthew, with a black eye. The email from Shrub Oak International School mentioned that Matthew was 'doing fine and slowly adjusting.' Little did Carlson know that Matthew should have never been sent to Shrub Oak in the first place. The Globe Spotlight Team's 2023 investigation uncovered rampant abuse and neglect at Massachusetts' licensed residential schools serving children with severe autism. Despite this, residential schools continue to receive large tuition checks from taxpayers. At Shrub Oak, the tuition for a single residential student was over $300,000 last year. Massachusetts' Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) mistakenly approved Shrub Oak, even though New York had not approved the school. This error left parents like Carlson and Roberta Biscan, whose son Connor also attended Shrub Oak, seeking answers and accountability.

Biscan's concerns about Shrub Oak grew as her son was repeatedly physically restrained by school staff. After discovering that the school lacked New York's approval, she presented the information to federal authorities. As a result, the Massachusetts DESE sent officials for a site visit, and by the end of November, the department removed Shrub Oak from its approved schools list. Despite the Massachusetts DESE's actions, the Shrub Oak representative stated that they will try again to obtain the state's approval. Meanwhile, at least one Massachusetts student remains at Shrub Oak, with Westford Public Schools unable to find another placement for her. The Massachusetts DESE did not answer a Globe question about compensatory services for former Shrub Oak students. Both Carlson and Biscan have filed complaints with the state's Problem Resolution System, seeking such services for their children. As the investigation unfolds, it raises questions about the Massachusetts DESE's vetting process for schools responsible for educating its most vulnerable students its most vulnerable students.

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