The legislature and the comptroller's office promised students with disabilities would be prioritized during the voucher process, and experts say their applications were, but those families were told they could get up to $30,000 a year, and now data reveal the average awarded is only half that.
Dee Carney, the director of the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency, said the process looks a little different from the expectations lawmakers laid out.
"For whatever reason, there's a disconnect between the voucher program and what supporters promised for students with disabilities," said Carney.
In our area, according to data from the comptroller's office, 1,013 special education students in Houston ISD have active awards, 721 in Fort Bend ISD, and 565 in Katy ISD.
But now ABC13 is learning that many of those students with disabilities who were chosen for the program are only receiving around $16,000.
The comptroller's office says every student in the voucher program is eligible for an average of about $10,500 a school year. Students in special education programs who receive the vouchers will get about $5,300 more.
But even with nearly $16,000, experts say some families still can't afford private school.
Carney says through their portal that families say they've been awarded a voucher of over $15,000, but once they're accepted to a school, it costs more than that.
"They received a message asking for a picture of their son and the exact amount of the voucher funding. And the family sent in both. Then the family got a different note saying the son would be placed in a different program, and that the tuition is now $26,000. That family has opted out because they cannot afford the difference between the voucher and this new tuition," said Carney.
The comptroller's office said that across the state, it awarded about 28,000 students with disabilities from the lowest-income households; of those, 1,134 have opted out.
Carney said, regardless, it still takes time for special education students to find a private school that works for them.
"The applications are prioritized. But that still doesn't guarantee admission into a private school, just because you received an award. And so I think that may be disappointing for families as well, is just not being able to find a good fit or a private school telling families after they've reviewed their IEP, their child is not a good fit," said Carney.