One of the most important student populations in all schools is students with disabilities. Special education programs for students with disabilities is among the most critical services that schools provide, and evidence suggests that special education services is a major factor in the choices parents make for their child’s schooling. Though our charter schools in Texas abide by the same rules as traditional public schools for enrolling and identifying students for special education services, charter schools in the state have typically lagged behind ISD schools in special education enrollment.

In the 2018-2019 school year, charter schools in Texas were providing special education services to more than 22,000 students, at an average rate of 8.5% of total enrollment across all charter schools. That rate has steadily risen in the past few years, but charter schools still sit nearly 2% behind ISDs in their average percentage of students receiving special education services.

In order to support charter schools in the development of their special education programs, the Center for Reinventing Public Education and the National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools are jointly hosting a free webinar on Friday, November 15^th. The webinar will discuss strong special education practices that they have seen and how charter schools can better support students with disabilities. The webinar will take place at 12 PM Central on the 15^th, and you can complete your free registration here.