SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- Three families whose four children attend the Scranton State School for the Deaf have filed a civil lawsuit against the state for not having a transition plan in place after cutting the school from its proposed budget.

"There's been no plan at all, and that's our concern," said Attorney Drew Christian, who is representing the families and focuses strictly on education and special education law.  "It's not to stop the state from doing what it wants, it just needs to do what it wants the right way."

He says there are multiple problems with the current plan, which he says, lacks detail.

"We've had a number of indications the school will close on June 30th and it appears it's been done without any thoughts as to how to plan for a lot of extensive needs for special education kids," added Christian.

He says the lack of planning violates the students' federal special education rights and constitutional rights.

"There can be different ways to do it, but when you segregate one specific group and you completely eliminate a program without a rational reason to do it, that really seems very suspicious as to what the state had in mind to begin with," said Christian.

SSSD employees hope the lawsuit sends a message.

"I hope it halts the Pennsylvania Department of Education's rapid plan to close this school until a thorough legislative review can be made," said Ruth Gerrity, the President of the SSSD Teachers' Association.