The proposal would heavily invest in teacher pay and special education. It includes a modest $55 increase to schools' base per-student funding, significantly lower than what the House had sought.

Parents of students in Houston ISD’s “Preparing Students for Independence” (PSI) program say they’re gearing up—yet again—for a fight they hoped was behind them.

In a state with a checkered history with federal special education law, advocates say Texas students will see an erosion of their disability rights protections.

Proponents say the changes would better serve special education students with widely varying needs — and help schools pay for it.

School officials says the state decision to cut federal money likely will hurt their ability to recruit and retain critical staff for students with disabilities.

A Klein ISD parent filed a complaint with the Texas Education Agency regarding perceived slights by the district against his stepson, with special needs, and other students in the adult program.

Houston Independent School District announced that its Special Education teachers will receive an additional stipend along with the standard pay scale for educators.

One of their main concerns centered around the district’s special education policy, which many said was strained by staffing shortages and out of compliance with federal and state mandates.

Texas public schools can allow corporal punishment, which includes hitting, spanking, paddling or deliberately inflicting physical pain to discipline students.

HOUSTON – The disruption in routine made it especially difficult for special education children during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts said. Samantha was diagnosed with special needs in Kindergarten. “She was really impacted at the start of the pandemic because she just didn’t understand what was happening,” said Benitez. “I know she was probably just in her own world, with her imagination and not really fully engaged.”Like many other school districts, Galena Park ISD noticed their special education children needed more support. “For a lot of our students that was a very difficult transition.”Epps has been in education for 25 years and said the special education students returned weeks before others.

HOUSTON – A former student at Cesar Chavez High School claims in a lawsuit filed against the Houston Independent School District that he was sexually assaulted by a fellow student. “He was repeatedly raped in a bathroom by another student at HISD and he reported this to his teacher,” Feldman said. AdFeldman said HISD’s position seems to call in to question the former student’s credibility because of his disability. In this case, it is alleged that a student was sexually assaulted by another student and that a teacher was aware of the harm but did nothing in response. It is HISD’s position that the minimum legal requirements for a claim under Title IX have not been met in this case.

House said when the pandemic began school shuttered and when it resumed in-person learning didn’t cut it for Devin, who has Autism. AdDevin returned to in-person learning as soon as the option was made available by Cy-Fair ISD. Education advocates have said inconsistencies in the quality of virtual learning have fueled the cognitive slide they cite. Parker said the inconsistencies have set all students back, adding the problem digs much deeper than the pits of virtual learning. AdOverall, Dupre said correcting the setbacks from the pandemic will take anywhere from two to four years.

Sima Ladjevardian immigrated to the United States from Iran as a child and embraced the American dream. She hopes to take that dream to a higher level by defeating 1st term Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw in November. The 2nd has been the district where opponents of former Congressman Ted Poe routinely lost by huge margins. Crenshaw, in his first run for congress in 2018, beat Todd Litton by 7 percentage points and Democrat Ladjevardian sees an opening. For more than 20 years The Madd Hatta morning show was a staple in Houston.

Help for those in needTexas State Rep. Dan Huberty wants schools to open their doors to special education students now. In Fort Bend Independent School District , students returned to both in-person and virtual learning began on August 17. Becoming your student’s best advocateJones-Taylor admits the return to school is going look different for many special education students. It is TEA’s responsibility to monitor the implementation of special education services across the state. If school districts fail to meet the needs of students receiving special education services, TEA will require that district to take corrective action.

HOUSTON – Are you a parent, family member or loved one worried about your student with special needs and how this school year will impact them? On Thursday evening, our education team members, Keith Garvin and Christine Noël moderated a discussion with health experts and education leaders. Hill: Most services for special needs students can be implemented online. Question: With children, especially young and special needs kids, what is the district doing to keep masks on in school? Question: What are effective practices for Zoom education for special needs kids?

FORT BEND COUNTY – A letter from the Fort Bend ISD superintendent was the equivalent of a bombshell for perhaps thousands of parents in the district. On Friday, Dr. Charles Dupre wrote that the district faced “significant staffing issues” and “may not be able to offer” special education programs at campuses. "I think it says that teachers are afraid to come back," said Glenda Guzman Macal, president of the Fort Bend American Federation of Teachers. “To ask teachers, administrative staff, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, admin staff to put their lives at stake,” she said. "It would be great if some of those jobs can work with those parents to help with the process of keeping and teaching them at home," said Leverne Moore, a grandmother who lives in Fort Bend County.