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Students work on an exercise at Thrive Charter School in Magnolia, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. Thrive is the only independent charter school in Texas that specializes in educating students with autism. The school serves grades K-8.<\/p>\n
Brett Coomer\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
A Texas Education Agency investigation found Houston ISD violated federal requirements for students with disabilities, forcing the district to review thousands of students’ individualized education plans before it overhauls special education.<\/p>\n
The agency has ordered HISD to review individualized education programs for affected students, including any “potential harmful effects of any proposed placement;” meet with families to review changes before moving campuses; and offer training to all district-level special education staff.<\/p>\n
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Parent Stefanie Naranjo filed a complaint with the state after her son learned in May he was reassigned to another school next year \u2014 even though his individualized education program said he would attend his current campus, Sinclair Elementary. He was among about 5,000 students with disabilities who received abrupt reassignments.<\/p>\n
In response to her complaint, the TEA ordered HISD to take corrective action for Naranjo’s child and make “systemic corrections for all students with disabilities” in the district. It warned that it may impose more sanctions if\u00a0HISD fails to comply.<\/p>\n
The agency said in\u00a0a July letter that\u00a0HISD violated two provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which guarantees students with disabilities a right to a free and appropriate public education.\u00a0It cited federal regulations requiring students to be educated near their homes and a meeting\u00a0with the student\u2019s IEP team \u2014 which typically includes teachers, parents and advocates \u2014 before changing their campus assignment.<\/p>\n
In its investigative report, the agency said the district “cannot unilaterally amend a student\u2019s IEP.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt requires the (district) to ensure that, unless the student’s IEP requires some other arrangement, the student is educated in the school that he or she would attend if not eligible for special education,\u201d the agency wrote. \u201cThe student cannot be moved to the new campus until the\u00a0IEP team has met and remedied these errors.\u201d<\/p>\n