Many Students Denied Special Education Services In Texas Over State-Set Benchmark

Hundreds of thousands of students with special needs are denied of special education services because of a benchmark imposed in Texas. Reports have revealed that Texas state officials have set the rate of students who receive such sped services at just 8.5 percent, prompting school administrators to deny or delay special services to many disabled students.

The Texas Education Agency implemented the enrollment benchmark for special education services of 8.5 percent in 2004, ABC News reports. Houston Chronicle looked into it and found that about 250,000 students with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, traumatic brain injuries and speech impediments, among others, are denied of the support they need from school districts because of the benchmark. The rate of students receiving supports such as counseling, therapy and tutoring has dropped from 13 percent since the implementation of the benchmark to 8.5 percent in 2015, which was the lowest rate in the United States.

The decision to impose such benchmark was part of the agency's efforts to trim costs, and by denying special education services to many students, they are able to save billions of dollars. The implementation of the 8.5 percent benchmark was not publicly announced nor explained, and there was no research that would back the rate as ideal.

The publication confirmed that the TEA, in a released statement, denied that the 8.5 percent rate is a cap and argued that it is rather an "indicator" that would reflect the school districts' performance. However, the school districts understood the system to be a strict limit as they are told to lower the number of students enrolled in special education.

Following the controversy, government officials have vowed to end this system that limits special education provision to Texas students, Houston Chronicle reports. The Senate Education Committee vice chairman, State Senator Eddie Lucio said the issue is an "utmost priority," adding that "We have a constitutional duty and a moral obligation to provide all Texas children with the services that are required to ensure that every student can thrive academically."