http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/040905dntexspecialed.fedf.htmlEducation Secretary Margaret Spellings had tough words for Texas on Friday: Get with the program on testing special education students – or else.
Ms. Spellings said that under President Bush's controversial No Child Left Behind Act, Texas education officials cannot continue to exempt 9 percent of the state's pupils – or nearly 500,000 children – from federal testing rules.
"I intend to take a very strong approach to Texas," Ms. Spellings, herself a Texan, told reporters Friday in Washington, noting that she has authority to withhold a portion of federal education funds from the state. That could cost the state up to $12 million next year.
"Texas schools are caught between conflicting state and federal laws, both of which were signed by George W. Bush," said Debbie Ratcliffe, a spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency. In 1997, when he was Texas governor, Mr. Bush signed a law requiring that most special education students take an alternative exam.