“According to the Education Department, Texas owes the federal government $33.3 million because the state reduced its spending on special education in the 2011-2012 school year.
Attorney Steven Aleman with the advocacy group Disability Rights Texas said his organization doesn’t want to see a loss of funding but believes it’s important for the state to be held accountable.
‘It’s going to be painful to lose those dollars, but it’s only going to be painful if we choose to not dip into the (state’s) rainy day fund or other fund and say we will make up that lost federal aid since it was our mistake anyway,’ Aleman said. ‘Hopefully there is a long-term commitment to say we will put the state dollars into the system that the system deserves, and these children who need these extra costly services is just as important as any other student, and we will do what we have to meet their need.'”
Read the full article about the appeal decision for special education.