HISD pauses plan to move students with special education needs to home campuses

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston ISD's plans to relocate students with serious disabilities who attend a special program at the T.H. Rogers campus are on pause, the district announced.

On Nov. 15, HISD officials announced a plan to move all 49 students in the district's PSI, or Preparing Students for independence Program, to their individual neighborhood schools. They explained this was being done to comply with the state's education standards requiring students with special needs to mix with other students.

SEE ALSO: Parents angry at HISD for planning to move special education students to home schools

While Thursday's announcement of the pause seems like a victory, some parents still have concerns and they went to the district's meeting to make sure their voices were heard. They say they are worried this is just temporary and not a permanent solution.

"My son almost died on the operating table. That's how much of a miracle child he is. All these kids are that way. I don't understand why going back to the local schools. What's that going to resolve?" Jose Sanchez, a parent, said. "I just pray that the decision is that this will not happen. This is over, and leave us alone."

The neighboring schools the children were supposed to be moved to don't have highly trained aides and resources like the Preparing Students for Independence program at T.H. Rogers.

The district told parents they worked in collaboration with Texas Education Agency to make the decision but following the announcement, they said the decision was made at the direction of the TEA.