Jan. 28-31 SBOE Meeting Highlights
Part 2 of 2
(Part 1, in the Feb. 10 issue, starts here)
SBOE Info: texednews.com/sboe
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Also in this issue:
-- School Board Training Rules Approved
-- Other SBOE Activity
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In the 2019 TEA Annual Report
Morath Spotlights Special-Ed Advances
Noting that special-ed is not a topic that often gets good news in the media, Education Commissioner Mike Morath pointed the SBOE to data in the 2019 TEA Annual Report (see TEN, Feb. 10) that he said is good news.
Among other things, the commissioner pointed to data showing that the state is spending $1 billion more than it had four years ago on special-ed, to the point where current appropriations total about $4.01 billion for special-ed.
Meanwhile, 54,710 more Texas students are being served in special-ed than three years ago, and there have been increases in monitoring districts and charters for special-ed compliance, the report reflects.
A total of 277 (23 percent) of districts and charters will be monitored for special-ed services this school year, an increase from three years ago, when, in 2016-17, 9 percent of districts and charters were monitored.
“We are beginning to really drive positive change in special-ed in the state,” Morath said in concluding his remarks on the topic.