Special Education Crisis: State Orders Houston ISD to Overhaul Program
The Texas Education Agency found the district violated federal rights for 650 students, triggering a six-month compliance deadline and potential funding cuts.
By Lucas Navarro ·
Houston Independent School District faces a six-month deadline to correct its special education practices after the state determined the district violated federal rights for students with disabilities. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) issued the order following an investigation into how the district handled student placements during a major consolidation effort earlier this year. If the district fails to meet the new requirements, it risks losing state funding for the program.
The conflict centers on the district's decision to move students from regular campuses to a smaller number of schools without sufficient parental consultation. The TEA substantiated part of nine complaints filed against the district. A letter from the agency stated that the district was wrong to relocate students without first meeting with parents to ensure individualized education programs, or IEPs, were properly followed. The state placed HISD on a formal action plan to address these failures.
Under the plan, the district must review the records of 650 students to verify they are receiving appropriate services. It must also correct noncompliant IEPs, host town halls, train teachers, and establish a parent advisory group. The state had previously ordered the district to meet with affected families in May, but the investigation found that HISD did not fulfill this requirement as claimed.
Dina Kushaliyeva, a former HISD parent, described the breakdown in communication that led her to withdraw her daughter from public school before the current academic year began. She stated that school staff could not confirm they had knowledge of her daughter's IEP or discuss her schedule. Kushaliyeva pulled her child from the district days before the school year started after losing faith in the administration's ability to manage the transition.
Kushaliyeva, along with other families, hired trained staff to launch a small private school while continuing to advocate for students still enrolled in HISD. She testified before the Texas House committee on education and filed complaints with the TEA. While she viewed the agency's findings as a victory, she emphasized that the work is not finished until the district implements the required fixes.
"Yes, HISD, you were violating those particular regulations that are specifically applicable to students with disabilities," Kushaliyeva said. She added that families intend to keep pressing for changes until the system provides the appropriate learning experience for all students.
HISD did not respond to a request for an interview but stated in a written statement that it is collaborating with the state to meet the action plan requirements. The district said it would share details about upcoming town halls in the coming weeks.
