Demand for Special Education Grows in Texas, but Shortage of School Psychologists Slows Progress
November 19, 2019
By: Laura Isensee
Source: Houston Public Media
In the last three years, Fort Bend schools have seen the demand for special education almost double. More teachers and parents are asking for children to be tested for a disability — which district leaders say is a huge step forward since the end of a Texas policy that denied services to tens of thousands of children for over a decade.
The problem is they don’t have enough qualified staff to perform those detailed and technical evaluations, according to Fort Bend Independent School District leaders. In particular, the large suburban district needs more licensed specialists in school psychology, also known as LSSPs.