KERA News

Jolene Sanders thought a private school could give her son with autism the kind of specialized attention he needed. So she searched for a good school with a good program. “Well, it doesn’t exist,” she said she ultimately concluded after looking. Sanders, now advocacy director at the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, and education professionals are concerned the legislative momentum for passing education savings accounts, or vouchers, could leave behind students with disabilities. The current version of the bill, which is being considered in the House of Representatives, would provide families $10,000 to pay for private school tuition. Students with disabilities may receive $11,500 per school year. The bill also explicitly exempts private schools from abiding by federal and state laws regarding special education.