The Texas Education Agency has ordered Houston Independent School District to correct violations involving its special education program or risk additional sanctions, including the loss of state funding.
The order follows a series of complaints from parents over the district’s decision to consolidate special education services and relocate thousands of students to different campuses for the 2026-27 school year. According to ABC13, state investigators partially substantiated nine complaints against HISD, finding that the district failed to follow required procedures before moving some students.
TEA has placed the district under a six-month corrective action plan after determining that HISD had not met with every affected family or corrected all student records. The findings contradict earlier assurances from state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles that the district had complied with the agency’s requirements.
Under the plan, state officials and special education conservators will examine 650 student records to determine whether students are receiving the services outlined in their individualized education programs, or IEPs. HISD must correct any deficiencies identified during the review and provide additional training for staff.
If at least half of the reviewed records contain inaccuracies, TEA could require the district to meet individually with the families of as many as 6,723 students by February 2027. HISD disputes that estimate, maintaining that approximately 1,561 students were affected by the restructuring. The district must also maintain a special education call center, conduct at least four regional town halls, and establish a parent advisory group.
The latest action follows an earlier state investigation that found HISD violated federal special education requirements. In July, TEA ordered the district to review affected students’ educational plans and consult with families before making campus changes. The agency determined that HISD could not make certain changes to students’ educational plans without the required individualized review process.
The restructuring has also drawn federal scrutiny. In May, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into whether the consolidation violates federal disability discrimination laws. Federal officials cited concerns that students with disabilities could be separated from their peers without individual consideration of their educational needs. HISD has maintained that its changes are intended to improve instruction through smaller classes, additional resources, and greater staffing support.
Parent Dina Kushaliyeva withdrew her daughter from the district after experiencing difficulties related to the campus reassignment. Kushaliyeva said the receiving school could not confirm whether staff understood her daughter’s educational plan. She subsequently joined other families in establishing a small private school and filing complaints with TEA.
The latest findings come as HISD continues operating under state control. TEA took over the district in 2023 following years of academic and administrative problems, including deficiencies in special education. State officials extended the intervention through June 2027, with special education compliance remaining one of the requirements for restoring local control. The district has recorded substantial improvements in academic performance under Miles, although its special education services have continued to face scrutiny.
HISD said it is cooperating with TEA and its appointed special education conservators to meet the requirements of the corrective action plan. The district also indicated that additional information about community meetings would be released in the coming weeks. Failure to comply could result in withheld funding, restrictions on grant eligibility, or further state intervention.
