Whenever we read or hear about special education in public schools, it is important to remember, that since the beginning of Public Law 94-142 (IDEA) in 1975, many policymakers have resisted funding services for students who learn differently.

The bill was so unpopular that President Gerald Ford refused to have a Rose Garden signing. Since that time, parents have struggled to obtain the services their children deserve, while questioning policy changes.

In 2004, the Texas Education Agency, in what is being called “the largest-scale violation of the law (PL 94-142 now IDEA) since its passage in 1975,” put a cap in place that denied as many as 200,000 students special education. Now the state has a federal order to remove that cap and provide the services students with disabilities deserve. The state says they saved billions, but they need to return services to children immediately.

Response to Intervention is a multi-tier assessment program for early identification of students with learning and behavioral needs. Students receive screening, and those identified as struggling are supposed to get quality instruction at their Tier level.

Too often RtI leaves students to flounder in overcrowded classrooms without the necessary resources or assistance they need. While RtI sounds good in principle, there have been questions as to whether it is used to deny children special education services.

Source: Response to Intervention’s Role in the Texas Special Education Scandal: What are Other States Doing?