Denied: How Texas keeps tens of thousands of kids out of special education (Houston: home, school districts)

[liveoak45]

Pretty great investigative journalism by the Houston Chronicle. I always see people on this site asking about special education services, but everyone should probably take the time to read this article.

http://www.chron.com/local/article/Denied-How-Texas-keeps-tens-of-thousands-of-kids-9215602.php

Edit: Apparently since I'm a first-time poster, I can't actually submit a clickable link. Oh well.

[ashbeeigh]

This might be better for the Texas forum...especially since it was written in Houston.

[centralaustinite]

No, I think it is perfect for this forum, AISD and other Central Texas districts are named specifically in the article. I already posted the link in the most recent thread on special ed but here it is again, everyone should read this!

How Texas keeps out tens of thousands of children out of special education - Houston Chronicle

[Trainwreck20]

The trick is to advocate for your kid. The federal rules prevent the schools from denying service if you document the need. Now, if you allow them to 'bully' you into not pursuing services, that is the more likely issue. We have a child that receives a variety of SE services in AISD and we have not had any issues, although there is a process to follow.

Part of the problem is the educational system that prevents districts and/or schools from feeling empowered to apply the rules in spite of pressure.

And if the article clearly states that no study has been performed on why there is a drop in numbers, but then pins it directly on denied school services. It is quite possible that the lack of social services in general (not in the schools) could be driving people out of state or discouraging people from moving here. Our biggest challenges are/will be when our child is older and out of school.

It is worth noting that many parents consider SpEd services a 'stigma' and may not seek out services, especially if the child is borderline. Texas has 20% higher than the national average of low-income family students and nearly double the national average of limited English proficiency. Both of those factors (in my previous life as a teacher) seemed to contributed to families avoiding 'labeling'.

[centralaustinite]

It becomes a matter of equity. There are kids with "504" or the equivalent in almost every private school in Austin, including the most elite ones, those parents pay for evaluations out of pocket, get accommodations set up in private schools via a 504 (although it lacks the force of law), and then pay for any special services, remediation outside of school. The public school districts do best with severe disability but the private schools are full of dyslexic kids, ADD kids, mild autism kids, and sensory integration kids. Kids who might be special ed and need special services in the early grades (if identified and given services) and who might then be successful with only a 504. The problem becomes kids who parents aren't able to advocate for them in the same way.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

No, I think it is perfect for this forum, AISD and other Central Texas districts are named specifically in the article. I already posted the link in the most recent thread on special ed but here it is again, everyone should read this!

How Texas keeps out tens of thousands of children out of special education - Houston Chronicle

That is disturbing that these Texas schools have arbitrarily set a service standard that is significantly lower than the national average.

[Rynldsbr]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

The trick is to advocate for your kid. The federal rules prevent the schools from denying service if you document the need. Now, if you allow them to 'bully' you into not pursuing services, that is the more likely issue. We have a child that receives a variety of SE services in AISD and we have not had any issues, although there is a process to follow.

Part of the problem is the educational system that prevents districts and/or schools from feeling empowered to apply the rules in spite of pressure.

And if the article clearly states that no study has been performed on why there is a drop in numbers, but then pins it directly on denied school services. It is quite possible that the lack of social services in general (not in the schools) could be driving people out of state or discouraging people from moving here. Our biggest challenges are/will be when our child is older and out of school.

It is worth noting that many parents consider SpEd services a 'stigma' and may not seek out services, especially if the child is borderline. Texas has 20% higher than the national average of low-income family students and nearly double the national average of limited English proficiency. Both of those factors (in my previous life as a teacher) seemed to contributed to families avoiding 'labeling'.

When the children leave school the limited options for assistance become almost nonexistent.

[Trainwreck20]

Having read the whole article now, it certainly chaps my hide...

[cp102]

Thank you for posting this, it affects my family, it sure explains alot , why my grandchildren were treated the way they were. My Grandson is home schooled now, he has autism.

[AusParent]

I can relate first hand to how hard it is to get help for a struggling child within AISD and perhaps provide some insight. I wrote about my child's struggles at school on this forum years ago. We spoke to various staff members for years and got no help. However this year - our last year at AISD - we finally had a breakthrough. It was purely a matter of luck - finding the right person, using the right wording. Then a whole new world opened up. We were offered an advocate. We were informed about 504. We were informed about a group of mental health counselors on the top floor.

Here are some things that contributed to this breakthrough. 1) The school has a social worker - for the first time apparently - who serves as a bridge between parents and the school. 2) We persisted in asking for help. 3) We used the word "accommodation". My initial reaction to getting help was relief and gratitude. My secondary reaction was to question why it took the majority of our child's years at AISD to get help.

AISD has its own struggle to meter its limited resources. However, children are required to attend school and some don't have the tools to adjust to school. Support must be accessible to all children. The support is making a difference in our child's school experience.