SAN ANTONIO – As the deadline approaches to apply for Texas’ new Education Freedom Accounts program, commonly known as school vouchers, families are struggling to receive the benefits reserved for those with disabilities.
Vanessa Aragon’s son has been diagnosed with autism, but because he does not have an Individualized Education Program from a local school district, he does not qualify for the extra funds.
“It’s honestly kind of been a headache,” Aragon said.
Students with disabilities can receive up to $30,000 to attend a private school accepting TEFA accounts, but the IEP must be completed before submitting the application, which is due March 17 at 11:59 p.m.
Aragon said her son completed an assessment on Feb. 2, before the TEFA application portal opened. However, their local school district, East Central ISD, told her his assessment likely won’t be complete until the end of April.
This is typical, as school districts have 45 school days to file and return an assessment for a student.
However, with a short application period and an influx of families applying for IEPs, the process has been frustrating for many.
“The school districts maybe should have planned better,” Aragon said. “I feel like there should have been at least leeway or a rush put on the IEPs for people specifically applying for the TEFA accounts.”
Aragon said she contacted the comptroller’s office, but even that proved difficult.
“I called like 10 different numbers,” Aragon said. “I called a lot of different people and just went straight to voicemail ... I couldn’t get a hold of anyone so I ended up having to email."
The Comptroller’s office told her to download a Disability Certification Form and have her child’s pediatrician complete it, noting her child’s disability.
TEFA spokesperson Travis Pillow said other families across the state have reached out to the Comptroller’s office in a similar situation.
“There are alternate forms of documentation,” Travis Pillow said. “They can get a signed form from a licensed practitioner to verify their child’s disability. That will allow us to prioritize their application.”
It remains unclear whether families will be allowed to upload an IEP after the deadline.
“It’s scary. People are depending on this,” Aragon said.
Aragon said she has submitted her son’s application. While he does not have an IEP yet, based on his needs she expects her son will be in the highest priority group.
However, without an IEP by the deadline, she fears her family may not qualify for the additional disability funds, even if the application is prioritized.
Aragon worries that her family may not be able to afford her son’s speech therapy without TEFA funds if they lose their healthcare.
“If we lose Medicaid, then how am I gonna afford it? It’s costly, it’s expensive,” Aragon said. “So that’s where the TEFA funds can help offset the cost with the speech therapy, with the school, with all of that.”
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