Groups that work with special needs kids are urging the Texas State Legislature to do more to support public schools, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"Our schools do the best they can with the resources that they have. But we know that our schools in Texas are massively underfunded," Jenny Hixon with Any Baby Can in San Antonio says.
The group, which helps parents of autistic children, says its expensive to raise a special needs child. Families cannot afford private school, where tuition is often $20,000 annually. That means the vast majority are in public schools.
"It's part of our collective responsibility to make sure that those kids have access to all the support they can. And that, frankly, requires funding," she explains
Texas republicans are pushing a voucher plan that would allow parents to use their tax dollars to send their kids to private schools. Since the idea has been floated, there's been questions about how it would impact special needs children.
Opponents, like the Texas State Teacher's Association, say it would do more harm than good.
"Most private schools don’t accept special Ed students, or they are not equipped to meet their needs. Vouchers will hurt special Ed children because they will take tax dollars from the public schools that most of these kids will continue to attend," spokesman Clay Robison tells 1200 WOAI's Michael Board.
Private schools, he says, are not required by law to provide special education services. They're not subject to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Public schools, meanwhile, are mandated to provide services to students with disabilities.
The so-called school choice debate will re-ignite in January when lawmakers get back to work. Six incumbent Republican lawmakers who opposed vouchers lost in their primary elections. That means a new crop of republicans will be part of the debate in Austin.
Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement after the election that he will make vouchers a top priority.
"Opponents of school choice can no longer ignore the will of the people."