Watch CBS News

Guiding Hands School To Retire Certification And Close For Good

EL DORADO HILLS (CBS13) —  The special needs school where a teen with autism died last November after being restrained is officially closing.

Guiding Hands School announced Monday that they will officially close Friday, after notifying the California Department of Education (CDE) of their decision to retire their Nonpublic School Certification on Jan. 17.

RELATED: Teen With Autism Dies After Being Restrained At School: Family's Attorney Questions 'Inaccuracies' In Initial Reports

In a statement, the school said though they "categorically deny the allegations asserted by the CDE in its premature Notice of Revocation, the decision to surrender our certification is in the best interest of and for the benefit of our students, their parents, and our staff."

The CDE revoked certification for the Guiding Hands School in El Dorado Hills on Jan. 10 after 13-year-old Max Benson died in November. The department claimed Guiding Hands used an emergency restraint on Max improperly, with excessive force and for too long.

According to the statement from Guiding Hands, another nonpublic school will now have the opportunity to take over their facilities and property.

Guiding Hands School opened in 1993. The school said they have operated for 25 years with an unblemished record with the CDE and said that they only practiced a nationally-recognized and CDE-approved behavioral management program which included physical restraint.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.