Feds To Tour Texas Over Special Education Barriers
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AUSTIN (AP) - The U.S. Department of Education plans to send officials to tour Texas and take public comment on the state reportedly capping student enrollment in special education.
Federal officials will visit Houston, Dallas, Austin, El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley next month. Members of the public unable to attend sessions can leave online comments for department officials.
The Houston Chronicle has reported that schools began denying special education services after the state imposed an 8.5 percent enrollment benchmark in 2004.
In a subsequent letter to the Department of Education, the Texas Education Agency denied imposing enrollment caps. It said it had no evidence of a "systematic denial" of special education services to students with disabilities.
Still, the agency said it will work to eliminate confusion by districts over enrollment.
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