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DRTx Statement on Texas Education Agency Response to U.S. Department of Education Demands Regarding 8.5 Percent Cap

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2016

CONTACT:
Edie Surtees, Communications Director
512.407.2739 (office)
esurtees@DRTx.org

AUSTIN—Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) is disappointed by the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) defensive response filed with the U.S. Department of Education today. Students’ futures are held in the balance while TEA refuses to claim any responsibility for the dramatic decline in services to children with disabilities.

TEA’s suggestion that they will eventually eliminate the indicator does not explain why the cap cannot end now. In the meantime, potentially thousands of students who require special education services will continue to go needlessly without.

Despite TEA’s comments, DRTx did file a formal complaint with TEA demonstrating the impact of its cap on special education enrollment. Unfortunately, our pleas were ignored.

Contrary to TEA’s rhetoric, special education is not a harmful label. Special education is a valuable array of services that enables equal opportunity, and no school should be encouraged to deprive children of their legal rights. To hear more from Disability Rights Texas on this issue, please tune into our Facebook live event on Monday, November 7 at
4:15 pm CT. Go to: www.facebook.com/DisabilityRightsTx and click on Events or use this direct link for event info: http://tinyurl.com/DRTxLiveNov2.

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Disability Rights Texas (previously named Advocacy Inc.) is the federally designated legal protection and advocacy agency (P&A) for people with disabilities in Texas. Our mission is to help people with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law, ensuring their full and equal participation in society. Visit www.DRTx.org for more information on our scope of services.