Free Help for Texas Special Education Families
Navigating special education in Texas can feel overwhelming. We talk to parents every day who are exhausted, worried, and just trying to do right by their child.
We have prepared this guide for families that are not ready for paid representation (or just want to start with free tools). These no-cost resources are a great place to start. However, we do recommend working with an experienced Texas Special Education Lawyer when the stakes are high or the issues are complex.
Legal disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Special education rights can be very fact-specific. If you need advice about your child’s situation, please talk with an attorney.
1. SPEDTex – Texas Special Education Information Center
If you’re not sure where to begin, start here.
SPEDTex is the Texas Special Education Information Center, funded by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). TEA describes SPEDTex as a statewide call center and website that provides information and support for families of students served through special education.
What they offer (free):
Phone and email help answering questions about:
◦ Evaluations and eligibility
◦ ARD meetings and IEPs
◦ Behavior and discipline
◦ Procedural safeguards and dispute options
Online resources to help you understand your child’s disability and rights under IDEA
How to contact SPEDTex:
www.spedtex.org
Phone: 1-855-773-3839
How we suggest using SPEDTex:
Before an ARD, you might call and say:
“I have an ARD meeting next week. My child has [disability] and I’m worried about [issue]. What questions should I be asking? Are there TEA resources you recommend I read first?”
They can point you to specific TEA guides on evaluation, consent, and other topics.
2. TEA Dispute Resolution Options
You can challenge decisions about your child’s special education. The Texas Education Agency offers several dispute-resolution processes. Each process works differently. The viability and real-world benefit can vary a lot depending on your child’s needs, your relationship with the district, and what you’re trying to accomplish.
a. Facilitated IEP / ARD (FIEP)
IEP/ARD facilitation is where a trained facilitator helps the ARD committee communicate and work through disagreements while developing the IEP.
TEA overview:
◦ Individualized Education Program Facilitation (FIEP)
FIEP request form (independent facilitator):
◦ Request for FIEP Meeting (PDF)
b. Mediation, Complaints, and Due Process
TEA lists four main dispute processes for special education: IEP facilitation, mediation, special education complaints, and due process hearings.
Key links:
TEA dispute options overview:
◦ Special Education Dispute Resolution Processes
TEA complaint process and handbook:
◦ Special Education Complaints Process
◦ Special Education Dispute Resolution Handbook (PDF)
Although we would love to, we are unable to suggest which, if any, of these options may be best. The truth here is that selecting the appropriate process is not as easy. A detailed analysis based on the facts of your situation and goals of your family is needed to identify the best path.
3. Parent Training & Information Centers
Texas has a statewide network of federally funded Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs). These centers exist specifically to help families understand their rights and advocate effectively — at no cost.
In Texas, PTIs are operated by Partners Resource Network (PRN). PRN is a nonprofit that runs several PTI projects: PATH, PEN, TEAM (and PACT in some regions), serving parents of children and youth with disabilities ages 0–26 and youth self-advocates ages 14–26.
Key links:
PRN main site: prntexas.org
Statewide Webinars: Partners Resource Network Webinars
Example PTI project (PATH): PATH Project – Partners Resource Network
What PTIs can do for you:
◦ Explain IDEA and Texas processes in plain language
◦ Help you prepare for ARD meetings
◦ Review documents with you (evaluations, IEPs)
◦ Provide sample letters, checklists, and trainings
How we suggest using PRN:
Reach out and say something like:
“I live in [city/region]. My child is in [grade] and has [disability/suspected disability]. I need help understanding my rights and getting ready for an ARD about [issue]. Can someone talk through my IEP and goals with me?”
They can connect you with a regional coordinator and training opportunities.
4. Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P)
Legal information is important, but most families also need emotional support and practical tips from other parents.
Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P) is a statewide, parent-led organization committed to improving the lives of Texas children and adults with disabilities, chronic illness, and other special health care needs.
Key links:
◦ Main site: www.txp2p.org
◦ Services overview: Services for Parents, Family Members & Self-Advocates
◦ Statewide parent conference: TxP2P Statewide Parent Conference
What TxP2P offers:
One-on-one parent matches
Support groups and advocacy calls (including Spanish-language groups)
An annual statewide parent conference
Training on special education, transition, and more
How we suggest using TxP2P:
Reach out and ask:
“I would like to be connected with another parent who has dealt with [your current issue (IEP, behavior plan, or ARD conflicts for a child with a similar disability)].”
It’s often easier to walk into a meeting after hearing how another parent handled the a similar matter.
5. Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) & TexasLawHelp
Disability Rights Texas
DRTx is the federally designated protection and advocacy agency for Texans with disabilities. They publish detailed guides on special education rights and sometimes provide individual legal representation based on their priorities and funding.
Key links:
◦ Education resources: Education – Disability Rights Texas
◦ IDEA manual: A Guide for Texas Parents and Students on Special Education Rights
◦ IEE handout: Independent Evaluations for Special Education
These materials explain:
◦ What a free appropriate public education (FAPE) means in Texas
◦ How to request and use an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)
◦ How to file a TEA complaint, with sample letters
TexasLawHelp.org
TexasLawHelp.org is a statewide legal information site. Its special education section (prepared with Disability Rights Texas) explains the laws that protect students with disabilities in Texas and their rights to a FAPE.
Key pages:
Overview article: Special Education in Texas
Topic index: Special Education & Accommodations
How we suggest using these:
Use the IDEA Manual and TexasLawHelp guides to understand the legal framework before you decide whether to file a complaint or request a due process hearing.
Use DRTx handouts when you are:
◦ Requesting an IEE at public expense
◦ Drafting a TEA complaint
◦ Considering whether your situation is serious enough to seek full legal representation
6. Education Service Centers
Texas is divided into 20 Education Service Centers (ESCs) that support local school districts. Many ESCs provide free trainings and resources specifically for parents of students with disabilities — including ARD/IEP workshops and dispute-resolution webinars.
On your ESC’s website–
Search for:
◦ “Special Education”
◦ “Parent Trainings”
◦ “Family Engagement” or “Parent & Community”
Look for sessions on:
◦ ARD basics
◦ Behavior and discipline
◦ Transition and graduation options
Check ESC calendars for parent-focused workshops
◦ Attend anything that lines up with your current issue (evaluation, behavior, dyslexia, transition, etc.).
7. Online Learning & National Resources
These are not Texas-specific, but they’re extremely helpful when you’re learning the language of special education:
Understood.org – Parent-friendly explanations of IEPs, 504 plans, dyslexia, ADHD, behavior, and more.
Wrightslaw.com – Deep dives into IDEA, evaluations, discipline, and legal strategy (more technical but powerful when you’re ready for detail).
We recommend choosing one focused topic at a time (for example, “requesting an evaluation” or “behavior plans”) and building your questions for the next ARD around what you learn.
8. A Practical DIY Plan
If you want to start by advocating on your own, here’s a simple way to combine the resources above:
- Get oriented with SPEDTex & TEA
Call SPEDTex to get a big-picture overview of your rights and options.
Read TEA’s SPED Family Resources page, which links directly to SPEDTex and other parent resources. - Build your knowledge and support team
Contact your regional Parent Training & Information Center (Partners Resource Network) to review your evaluations and IEP and to practice for ARD meetings.
Connect with Texas Parent to Parent for support groups and one-on-one parent matches. - Use local trainings
Check your ESC’s calendar and your district’s special education page for parent trainings, webinars, and ARD/IEP workshops. - Choose a dispute path if things aren’t working
For relationship/communication issues, consider IEP facilitation or mediation through TEA.
For clear violations (missed timelines, services not provided), review TEA’s Special Education Complaints Process and the Dispute Resolution Handbook. - Deepen your legal understanding
Use Disability Rights Texas materials (especially the IDEA Manual and IEE/complaint handouts) and TexasLawHelp.org articles to understand how federal and state law apply to your child. - Consider legal representation if the stakes are high
For situations involving long-term removals, serious safety concerns, large service denials, or systemic issues, reach out to:
◦ Disability Rights Texas
◦ Your local legal aid office, or
◦ A private special education attorney
9. Free Topic Guides from Shields Law
We’ve also built a library of free guides on the issues Texas families ask us about most. You can read these any time, starting with whatever topic is on your mind today.
Getting Special Education Services & Evaluations
If you’re still fighting to get your child identified or tested, start here.
⦿ What Qualifies a Child for Special Education?
How eligibility really works in Texas, early red flags, and what to do if the school keeps saying “let’s wait and see.”
⦿ Referral Process for Special Education
Step-by-step walkthrough of how to request an evaluation (FIIE), what the school must do, and how long they have to do it.
⦿ Special Education Evaluations & Testing Guide
What a good evaluation should include, common problems we see in FIIEs, and when to consider an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE).
⦿ Records Requests and Special Education
How to ask for your child’s complete records, what counts as a “record,” and how to use those records to prepare for ARDs and disputes.
IEPs, ARDs & Services: Building and Fixing the Plan
If your child already has an IEP, these guides are for you.
⦿ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs / ARDs)
Big-picture overview of how IEPs are supposed to work in Texas, from goals and services to accommodations and placement.
⦿ What Is the ARD Process?
What to expect at ARD meetings, who should be there, and how the process is supposed to look when it’s done correctly.
⦿ What Rights Do I Have Concerning My Child’s IEP?
Your consent rights, your right to participate, your right to data, and what to do when the school tries to rush or sideline you.
⦿ When Should I Request an IEP Team Meeting?
How to know when “waiting for the annual” is hurting your child, and how to formally ask for a new ARD/IEP meeting in writing.
⦿ Your Child’s IEP and the U.S. Department of Education
What happens to your child’s rights if the federal landscape changes, and why the IEP process still matters in shifting political climates.
Discipline, MDRs, Bullying and Harassment
If your child is not safe or is being targeted, you need clarity fast.
⦿ Behavior, Discipline & MDRs – Special Education Behavior Guide
How discipline works for students with disabilities, what “change of placement” means, and what protections the law gives your child.
⦿ Bullying & Harassment and Special Education in Texas
How bullying and harassment intersect with special education law, how schools often mishandle it, and concrete steps you can take when the district doesn’t respond.
Section 504 & School Access
For kids who may not need an IEP, but still need support.
⦿ Section 504 Overview
What Section 504 is, who qualifies, and what kinds of supports a 504 plan can include.
⦿ IEP vs. 504 Plan: Understanding the Difference for Your Child
Side-by-side comparison of IEPs and 504 plans so you can see which one actually fits your child’s needs.
⦿ How to Get a 504 Plan for Your Child
How to request 504 services, what schools look at, and how to push back when the answer is “no.”
Use these guides however you need: to get oriented, to prep for a tough meeting, or just to confirm that what you’re feeling in your gut about the school’s response is valid.
10. Where Shields Law Fits In
At Shields Law, our entire practice is focused K-12 special education law and supporting adult children beyond school. We know how draining this process can be, and we also know that not every family wants paid representation right away.
That’s why we:
Point families to free resources like the ones above
Help parents decide when a situation can likely be handled with good information and support, and when it may be time for a lawyer
Represent families across Texas when cases reach the point of formal disputes, settlement negotiations, or due process hearings
If you’re not sure where your situation falls, you’re welcome to contact us for a Free Discovery Call to talk about:
◦ What you’ve tried so far
◦ What the school is saying
◦ Whether you’re in a good place to continue on your own or whether adding legal help may make sense.
◦ If paid legal representation makes sense for your situation, we will schedule a paid attorney strategy call to provide you with clarity, explain your rights, answer your legal questions and outline options.
If, after using these resources, you realize the stakes are high—your child is unsafe, regressing, or the district just won’t move—you’re welcome to reach out to us for paid legal representation.
When that time comes, start with a Free 15-Minute Discovery Call to see if we’re the right fit.