In a rare show of cooperative partisanship, members of the Texas Legislature voted unanimously for a bill to change and, it's hoped, improve special education statewide.
Four years ago, the Legislature charged the Texas Commission on Special Education Funding with finding the most efficient but modern ways to teach special needs children, and the committee's later recommendations were incorporated in Senate Bill 568, which was presented in the legislature's term that's ending Monday.
The bill sailed smoothly if controversially through the capital from its introduction in February, with aspects of the bill debated and changes added before it received its final vote on Sunday. Now the bill is being prepared to go to Governor Greg Abbott to be signed, so the bill can become law.
The new law would make a number of structural changes in special education funding in Texas, with money being allocated in ways that align the costs with the actual needs of students.
The old funding plan was based on placing students in programs and then trying to meet their needs.
Under the new plan, there'll be a program model with 8 tiers, each tier representing levels of service needed for each student, so children can be carefully and fairly matched with levels of funding that readily suits their needs, rather than students with disabilities having to apply for and wait for programs on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The new law will set up four funding levels aimed at ensuring fair distribution of money in efficient and accurate distributions.
And the law will include special money to go for the costs of transporting special education students by bus or other means.
"This is about dignity, equity, and opportunity and I am grateful to my Senate and House colleagues for their unanimous support to getting this transformative bill across the finish line," state Sen. Paul Bettencourt said.
"Families of children with disabilities shouldn't have to fight for basic support. This bill gives them more than a voice, it gives every child a pathway to succeed with early detection mechanisms, with hopes to make a difference in our communities..." he added.