This information, originally shared in our Back to School newsletter, will help you start off the new school year with the info you need for your child to succeed. And if you don’t find what you need below, be sure to check out our Education Resources.
Updated IDEA Manual
We just finished an update of our popular IDEA Manual that has helped thousands of Texas parents for more than two decades to understand their child’s rights under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Texas law. This guide equips you to work as an equal partner in planning your child’s education so he or she can succeed in school and life.
Updated Interactive Discipline Guide
Our recently updated online Interactive Discipline Guide helps Texas parents understand what should happen when a student with a disability faces school discipline. This easy-to-use, step-by-step tool explains your child’s rights under special education law and what schools are required to do at every stage of the disciplinary process.
New Resource on Disciplinary Placements
Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEP): What Parents Need to Know is our new guide for Texas parents whose child is facing placement or has been placed in a DAEP. It explains the questions to ask, the rights students with disabilities have during disciplinary proceedings, and the steps families can take to ensure schools follow the law and provide the supports their child needs before, during, and after a DAEP placement.
School Safety for Students with Disabilities
New Texas requirements help ensure students with disabilities can stay safe during school emergencies. Parents can ask the ARD committee or Section 504 team to include any disability-related emergency accommodations in their child’s IEP or Section 504 plan, while school districts must also have emergency procedures in place to carry out those accommodations during drills and real emergencies.
Virtual Mental Health Services
Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) connects eligible K-12 students with free mental health services through secure telehealth appointments at school. The program helps students access assessments, counseling, and support more quickly, reducing barriers to getting the mental health care they need. See if your school is part of TCHATT.
A Decade of Change Since “Denied”
Ten years ago on September 10, 2016, news reporter Brian Rosenthal published the first story in a Houston Chronicle series called “Denied” that exposed an illegal cap imposed by the Texas Education Agency on special education enrollment. This limit meant that an estimated quarter of a million students were denied their legal right to supports and services needed to succeed in school. Once the news broke, DRTx joined with several other organizations and parents to remove the cap after years of relentless advocacy.
Since that time, our state’s special education overall evaluation and enrollment numbers are returning to appropriate levels, but DRTx remains active in addressing problems at the district level. Read more about the history of the cap in our latest staff blog by DRTx Policy Specialist Steven Aleman.
Your Rights in a Private School
This fall, some students with disabilities will attend private school for the first time, making it important to understand which laws apply in that setting. For example, nonreligious private schools are subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits disability discrimination and requires reasonable modifications. Religious private schools are not subject to the ADA.
Sign up for DRTx Special Education News & Resources emails and be the first to get information like this!