Houston School Board to Consider Special Ed Recommendations, Disbanding Committee

The Houston school board could disband its special education committee this week, a move that’s taken some parents and even some committee members by surprise. For years, Kara DeRocha has advocated for her son’s special needs. In May, she joined the district’s special ed committee to help amplify parents’ voices and guide trustees. She said that they didn’t get a warning the group could dissolve so soon. “It was a visceral reaction of, ‘Here we go again, our voices are once again being silenced,'” said DeRocha, who ran for a seat on the school board in 2017. “We’re going to have to fight again to have our voices be heard.” Listen 00:00 /01:00 To embed this piece of audio in your site, please use this code:

X The Houston school board formed the ad hoc group after a statewide crisis in special education saw thousands of children with disabilities denied services. Enrollment in special ed has edged up in Houston schools. However, at 7 percent, it’s still below state and national averages, at 9 percent and 13 percent, respectively.