Houston's special education reforms show early gains |
Five weeks into Houston ISD’s Special Education Success Program, district leaders say the overhaul has created smaller classes, reduced the number of grade levels taught together, and provided teachers with more specialized training and curriculum. The share of self-contained classrooms serving more than two grade levels has fallen from more than half to less than a quarter, and nearly all classrooms are meeting the district’s target teacher-to-student ratios. The changes have also caused significant disruption. HISD reassigned thousands of students to 150 campuses, contacted more than 3,000 families, altered more than 1,000 individualized education programs, added more than 40 bus routes, and received more than 200 calls on the first day of school. Nine families have filed complaints with the Texas Education Agency, while the overhaul has also attracted state scrutiny and a federal investigation over potential discrimination against students with disabilities. Parents have reported mixed experiences. Some have welcomed smaller classes, but others say longer commutes, inconsistent transportation, unfamiliar teachers, and disrupted routines have contributed to behavioral problems and stress. Disability advocates have also cautioned that the district’s positive classroom data may not capture the broader effects of moving students farther from their neighborhood schools.
