Moving to Texas

So you have decided to make the big move to Texas with your child or adult with a disability. Welcome! Here are some important issues you may want to learn about BEFORE you move here.

1. Medicaid – Does not transfer between from state to state. That means you will need to reapply once you establish residency in Texas. If your child receives any support services in your state through Medicaid, these DO NOT transfer. In Texas, there is a “waiting list” for attendant care, respite services, therapies, DME, etc. through the Medicaid waiver programs. The wait is approx. 17-18 years. If you still want to move here, here is a link to learn more about the Waiver services: https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/disability . You can apply for Medicaid on Your Texas Benefits as well as register for the Waiver programs.
   The other option to register for Waiver programs is to call HHSC directly at 1-877-438-5658 (for the CLASS, MDCP and DBMD programs) or call your Local IDD authority (for the HCS and TxHmL programs). Use this link to find your Local IDD Authority (LIDDA): https://resources.hhs.texas.gov/pages/find-services
   
2. Guardianship – You will need to transfer the guardianship information to Texas. Guardianships are recorded in the state/county you live in. Check with a local attorney to find out what you need to do. Don’t forget – Guardianships need to be renewed annually with the courts. Also, Texas also has Supported Decision Making as an alternative to guardianship.
   
3. Special Education and Related Services at school – If your child receives these currently, please consider doing the following BEFORE the move:
   • Make sure you have a complete copy of any evaluations and the current Individual Education Program (IEP). Sometimes parents only have a few pages. Organize the information in a binder or other file system so that you can find it. Go by your current school and request to review the special education folder and make sure you have all the documentation you need. This is a great time to gather all those evaluations that have occurred over the years (you might need them later for the SSI application). Your child’s folder will NOT travel to the new school district when the new district requests records. Only the most recent attendance, grades, and IEP will be sent.
     
   • Make sure all the services your child uses/needs are noted in the IEP. Sometimes when a good teacher has been working with a student for awhile, those excellent strategies or supports that work may not be written down. Make sure everything is written down. If it is not written down, it DID NOT happen.
     
   • Make sure you completely understand the goals and objectives. Goals often are written by the person implementing the goal, but they may not be understood by others. Is the goal clearly written and measurable? If a new teacher was to pick up the goals, would they understand how or what to teach? Do you know what your child is supposed to learn? Can you easily measure whether they accomplish the goal or not? If not, you might want to go back to IEP team and rewrite goals BEFORE you leave.
   • Learn about the Provision of Comparable services, evaluations and moving. There is a Texas resource below that explains the process for in state/out of state transfers. See also the Legal Framework for specific law/rules: https://fw.escapps.net/node/3806
   • Obtain a copy of the IDEA Manual and review TexasProjectFIRST website to learn more about your child’s rights.
   • Texas practices “Site-Based” management. The principal sets the tone on your campus. Meaning there can be great schools in a lousy district, and lousy schools in a great district. A school that is good one year, might change over the summer because staff or a principal moved. Each family has different expectations on what makes a campus a good school. What is good for your child may not be good for another.
     • If you move into a beautiful new home hoping the school will be great for your child, you may be sadly disappointed.
     • If you go visit a school and love the “vibe”, check to ensure that your neighborhood isn’t going to be “rezoned”. Check the school board page to see if rezoning of your neighborhood is on the horizon.
     • If you are moving into a new home, in a new neighborhood, or the school district is building lots of new schools, there is a high chance your child will move schools at some point. There is even higher chance for any segregated or life skills classrooms. These classes move around districts based on available space on campuses.
     • To locate a school district in Texas – School District Locator and TexasSchools.gov
     • If you want to learn about specific school districts and how they fare for children with disabilities in relationship to testing, discipline, and least restrictive environment (generally speaking), please see the Results Driven Accountability information (special education is usually found on page 10).
     • You may want to review school district Discipline Reports to see if students with disabilities are disciplined more than others.
     • You ARE A PART of the IEP process and can agree or disagree at any time
       
   • Consider creating a portfolio for your child. Learn more here: https://texasprojectfirst.org/portfolios/

RESOURCES:

Students with Disabilities who Transfer In-State and Out of State Quick Guide

US Dept of Ed. – Questions and Answers on IEPs (See pages 5-7)

For those in the military – Consider reaching out to the Exceptional Family Member Program for support and guidance. Also see Texas Education Agency Military-Connected Students resources