AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Reports of Texas denying special education services in public schools now has House Speaker Joe Straus urging state officials to make immediate changes.
The Republican on Wednesday asked the Texas Education Agency to suspend practices that has made Texas have the lowest rate of students who receive special education in the U.S.
The national average is 13 percent. In Texas, 8.5 percent of children with disabilities receive specialized education services.
The request from the powerful Texas House speaker comes after the Houston Chronicle reported that some schools stopped giving children services in order to comply with a new percentage benchmark set by the state.
Federal education officials have also asked Texas for answers. State education officials have said it doesn’t think any children were denied services.
____________________________________________
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ Some Texas lawmakers say Child Protective Services caseworkers or law enforcement officers must immediately visit thousands of youngsters reported as abused or neglected.
Members of the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday ordered Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Hank Whitman to provide a revised plan for face-to-face visits and more hires.
Chairwoman Jane Nelson of Flower Mound says Whitman’s deadline was the close of business Thursday.
Whitman last week announced he wants to hire more than 800 investigators, caseworkers and staffers at a cost of $53 million.
Records show as of Oct. 17, more than 15,000 children had not seen by CPS investigators, as required, between 24 and 72 hours after an abuse report. More than 2,800 at-risk children have not yet been seen by CPS staff.