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Senate special commission hears that Education Department amendments could narrow access to classroom assistants for students with disabilities
Summary
Witnesses at a May 14 Senate special commission hearing warned that proposed Department of Education amendments would tighten eligibility for student assistants ("T uno"), insert vague behavioral criteria, and risk denying services during summer and pandemic recovery, urging audits, clearer rules and staff training.
María de los Ángeles Garal, a clinical instructor at the University of Puerto Rico’s Special Education Clinic, told a Senate special commission on May 14 that proposed department amendments would narrow who qualifies for in-class assistants and leave out supports during therapy, transport and other parts of the school day. "La enmienda como tal habla de los servicios que ofrece un asistente al estudiante con diversidad funcional... ¿y qué pasa con la parte de las terapias?" she asked.
Garal and two law students who also testified said the draft language treats assistants as "suplementarios" limited to classroom help and certain activities and introduces vague terms such as "conductas inapropiadas" without defining who decides what that means. "¿Quién va a estar a cargo de decir una…
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