Unlocking Progress: In-Depth HISD Audits Reveal Special Education Challenges and Promising Improvements

In the fall of 2023, Houston ISD administrators audited the special education department, reviewing records of 1,350 students. They uncovered significant issues within the system. This audit revealed many failures to follow district policies and laws that protect students’ rights.

Approximately two-thirds of the files lacked evidence that students received the essential services and therapies they were entitled to. Additionally, half of the cases didn’t show that staff were informed of necessary classroom adjustments for students with disabilities. About one-third of the files indicated that parents were not notified on time about important meetings regarding their children’s education.

This audit sheds light on the challenges faced by HISD’s current administration, headed by state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles, who took over in June 2023. It also highlights the limited progress made by conservators assigned to the district in early 2021 to reform the struggling special education department.

A follow-up audit in spring 2024 showed some improvements. There was an increase in the number of students marked as receiving assistance, and staff documented changes made for students more consistently. However, many legal violations remained, and audits that covered just 7 percent of HISD’s 18,700 students likely only scratched the surface of the issues.

These file reviews emphasize a long-standing problem in HISD, as investigations over the years have repeatedly found violations of students’ rights despite earlier warnings. Jackie Cross-Ecford, a special education advocate, expressed her disappointment but not surprise at the findings. She has been helping families navigate these challenges for over 30 years.

According to Stacy Venson, HISD’s deputy chief of special education, the audit results serve as both a wake-up call and a chance to improve. The records reveal that HISD has much work ahead.

New measures in Miles’ administration have included raising salaries for special education teachers by up to $20,000. Changes have also been made to improve teacher training and integrate special education metrics into principal evaluations.

A subsequent audit indicated that HISD had indeed made real progress. The number of schools receiving failing grades dropped significantly, and most file reviews showed proper documentation of support provided to students. However, challenges persisted, allowing some schools to continue to miss critical compliance areas.

Parents like Marion Keller, whose children with ADHD have faced challenges in receiving their accommodations, voiced concerns about the rigid school structure under Miles’ leadership, which makes it harder to fulfill individual education program (IEP) requirements.

Despite some strides forward, the status of Houston ISD’s special education department raises ongoing concerns. There’s uncertainty over the sustainability of the recent improvements, especially with projections of a $250 million budget deficit for the next year, in part due to rising costs in special education.

Nonetheless, the Texas Education Agency believes that the focus on improving special education will lead to continued progress. Superintendent Miles aims to balance the HISD budget in coming years but hasn’t provided detailed plans on how to achieve this goal.