The Senate Education Committee in Texas is considering a bill that could significantly alter the funding model for special education. The proposed legislation, SB 568, would allocate funds based on the type and intensity of services provided to students rather than their location. This shift aims to better address the needs of nearly 800,000 students who qualify for special education in the state.
Houston Senator Paul Bettencourt, who authored the bill, described it as a "groundbreaking special education bill," expressing confidence that an intensity-based model will improve educational outcomes. The proposal emerged from recommendations by a panel tasked with examining Texas's special education system. Dr. Dan Huberty, a former state representative involved in this effort, emphasized the need for fundamental changes, calling SB 568 "the most transformative, important" bill of the session.
Currently, funding does not reflect individual student needs within classrooms. Under SB 568, eight tiers would be established to determine funding based on service levels—from speech therapy to residential placement—and four additional tiers would address extra resources required for accommodations.
The bill also proposes measures to increase qualified teaching staff through grants and aims to restore and enhance funding for specific programs such as dyslexia and autism support. It includes provisions to cover initial assessment costs and boost bonuses for students transitioning from special education into higher education or careers.
Additionally, another bill under consideration seeks to incorporate lessons on communism's history and impacts into school curriculums starting from fourth grade. Sponsored by New Braunfels Senator Donna Campbell and supported by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick as a priority measure (SB 24), it aims to highlight contrasts between communist ideology and U.S. principles like liberty and democracy.
Committee chair Brandon Creighton noted rising approval rates for communism among younger Americans as motivation for this educational initiative.
