TASB warns Boerne ISD of special education funding overhaul and ESA impacts
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Summary
Kelly Rosti told the Boerne ISD board that the legislature moved toward an intensity-based special education funding model and that the ESA (voucher) program could send up to $30,000 per special-needs student to private schools; the commissioner will set tier rules and TEA rulemaking will determine implementation.
Boerne Independent School District trustees were told Aug. 27 that recent legislation will change how special education is funded and how Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) could affect students with disabilities.
Kelly Rosti of the Texas Association of School Boards said the state-appointed special education funding commission recommended moving funding from a placement model to an "intensity of services" model, and that the legislature adopted similar language in this session. "It does appear that funding will be more appropriately delineated first," Rosti said, adding that the commissioner must still decide tier levels and funding rules.
Rosti also described the ESA program's potential effects: families using ESA funding for private placements could receive up to $30,000 for a student with special education needs, depending on the public-school evaluation; the legislature provided up to $1,000 per district to help cover assessment costs. "We're anticipating that there may be an uptick in how many students are coming and asking or families that are asking for evaluations because of the ESA program," Rosti said.
Why it matters: districts remain responsible for identifying and evaluating students for special education; if families use ESA funds to transfer students to private schools, districts still may be the entities performing evaluations and reporting data. Rosti noted that private schools receiving ESA dollars will not be required to hold the same annual public meetings about special education status that public boards must hold.
Implementation and uncertainty: Rosti emphasized that TEA and the commissioner must adopt rules to define tier levels and service intensity. She said extensive rulemaking is expected and that TASB will track proposals and solicit district comments.
Trustees were advised to prepare for potential increased assessment requests and to await TEA rules that will determine how funding tiers and eligibility are coded.
No board action was taken on special education funding or ESA policy during the workshop.