🏫 Education & Students with Disabilities
- Texas Faces Surge in Special Education Demand:
San Antonio school districts are experiencing a 32% increase in students requiring special education services since 2020, totaling nearly 765,000 statewide. This surge is attributed to heightened parental awareness, improved diagnostics, pandemic-induced learning loss, and legislative changes like House Bill 3928, which mandates the inclusion of dyslexic students in special education. Districts are grappling with staffing shortages, budget constraints, and increased evaluation requests, leading to teacher burnout and turnover. Funding remains inadequate due to Texas’s outdated model and narrowed Medicaid reimbursements, exacerbating the situation.
San Antonio Express-News
🏳️🌈 LGBTQIA+ Rights
- Proposed Federal Budget Cuts LGBTQ+ Program Funding:
The Trump administration’s proposed 2026 budget includes $2.67 billion in cuts to programs supporting LGBTQ+ communities. Affected areas encompass LGBTQ+ health research, HIV/AIDS patient support services, and non-discrimination protections. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities faces a $534 million reduction. Additional cuts target the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, the CDC, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the national 988 mental health helpline, particularly its LGBTQ+ youth services. Critics argue these cuts prioritize tax reductions for the wealthy over essential public services.
