Thread by @TexasTribune

House Bill 1468 was designed so Texas students could continue remote learning with the state footing the bill.

It stalled at the last #TXlege session, leaving plans for school next year up in the air — including for students with disabilities.
bit.ly/2UQ9hAM

There are many reasons why disabled students might not want to return to in-person school. Authors of a recent study found Texas school reopenings may have led to at least 43,000 additional COVID-19 cases and 800 additional fatalities within the first two months.

In addition to COVID-19 concerns, students with mobility issues found it easier to be at home when their schools aren’t built for students like them. Autistic students might have trouble wearing masks for long periods of time.

Not every Texas student with disabilities thrived under remote learning. Sam Turner has been taking advanced work since he was in middle school. Last school year, he took junior-level classes as a sophomore. This year, he’s taking the same classes.

Morénike Giwa Onaiwu’s family saw the upsides of Texas remote learning. Her 12-year-old daughter, Legacy, started to show a witty side that her mother had never seen before while taking remote classes. The family is now considering doing a hybrid model in the fall.

The author of the bill that would have funded virtual education at Texas schools asked the governor to give the legislation a second chance. Thirty school districts have, too.

Gov. Greg Abbott has remained mostly silent about what will be on the July special session.

Texas has seven fully virtual schools offered around the state. However, 86% of students enrolled in these programs attend a campus with a C rating or lower, according to Raise Your Hand Texas.

Most Texas schools have canceled virtual learning plans for the upcoming school year. It leaves families with months to weigh limited options before the fall semester begins.

texastribune.org/2021/06/29/tex…