More than a dozen Texas teachers and administrators say they delayed or denied special education to students with disabilities in order to stay below the benchmark state officials set for the number of students who should get such services.
A Houston Chronicle investigation found that since the 2004 implementation of the benchmark, the rate of students getting special education dropped from near the national average of 13 percent to the lowest in the country—8.5 percent in 2015.
Spokesmen for numerous districts said they haven’t denied special education to any children with disabilities. Texas education officials say they will take a closer look at special education access.
Scarlett Rasmussen, 8, watches a video on her tablet as mother, Chelsea, administers medication while they get ready for school, May 17, 2023, at their home in Grants Pass, Ore. The Education Department has scrapped a proposal that would have changed the process for how schools bill Medicaid for services they provide to students.
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