Delays, Dollars & Due Process: Families & Schools in Crisis | Attorney Matthew Delforte
Behind every delayed tuition payment is a family left in limbo. This episode pulls back the curtain on what’s really going on. Host Tracey Spencer Walsh is joined by Matthew Delforte, a veteran education attorney, for an eye-opening conversation about the deep systemic failures surrounding tuition reimbursement, impartial hearing orders, and how the Department of Education’s delays are devastating families and schools. Together, they break down the urgent issues and the bold solutions proposed to fix them. Here is what you’ll take away from this important conversation: 🟡 What’s really happening behind the scenes when the DOE delays paying court-ordered tuition reimbursements 🟡 Why some families are waiting 1–2 years for money they’re legally owed, and the emotional and financial toll that takes 🟡 How nonpublic schools are being pushed to the brink of closure due to millions in unpaid tuition 🟡 What the Special Master’s report revealed about the DOE’s broken systems 🟡 Why NYC families are being forced to file federal lawsuits to enforce basic education rights 🟡 The legislation being proposed to withhold DOE funding until they comply with the law “This is scarring families, and it shouldn’t be this hard to get what your child is legally entitled to.” – Matthew Delforte This episode is a powerful look at the intersection of education, justice, and civil rights in NYC. Whether you're a parent, advocate, or educator, this conversation will give you critical insight into how we got here and what needs to change. Hit play now and join the fight for transparency, accountability, and a fair shot for every child.
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Matthew J. Delforte, J.D.
Matthew J. Delforte is a partner at Shebitz Berman & Delforte, P.C., where he leads the firm’s education law practice. He represents public and private schools, colleges, and universities across New York, including charter schools,private schools, and schools for children with disabilities. A passionate advocate for children with special needs, Mr. Delforte has worked on the creation of specialized schools, and represented Early Intervention, SEIT, and related service providers in matters of compliance, contracts and more.
An experienced legal educator, Mr. Delforte has also servedas a Special Professor of Law at Hofstra Law School and as an adjunct professor at the College of St. Rose and Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education, teaching Education Law for many years. He earned his J.D. from the City University of New YorkSchool of Law and his undergraduate degree from St. Bonaventure University. Admitted to practice in New York State, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the federal courts in New York, Mr. Delforte combines extensive legal expertise with acommitment to advancing education and fighting for students’ rights, particularly for children with disabilities and special needs.
Matthew’s passion and deep understanding of both the legalframework and the realities families face make him a trusted advocate. He challenges broken systems, raises public awareness, and fights to ensure that every child receives the education they need and deserve
