Understanding the Perception of Parents, Teachers and Administrators of Students Receiving Special Education Services in Texas School Districts

This study challenges conventional assumptions about administrative burden in special education by revealing its strategic use by educators to balance disparities in parental engagement across socioeconomic status (SES). Using 19 qualitative interviews with parents and educators in Texas school districts, this research explores how parents, teachers and administrators navigate the complexities of special education policy. The study applies administrative burden theory and Bourdieu’s concepts of human, social, and cultural capital to analyze how SES influences access to services and parental advocacy. Findings unexpectedly show that educators do not merely enforce administrative burden as an institutional constraint but actively manipulate it as a tool for equity. In low-income schools, educators reduce bureaucratic hurdles, guiding parents through complex processes to ensure their children receive necessary services. Conversely, in high-income schools, the burden is deliberately heightened to curb parental overreach, preventing resource monopolization by affluent families. The study uncovers variations in racial sensitivity among educators based on their years of experience and pathways into special education. While experienced educators demonstrate deeper awareness of racial disparities in special education placement and advocacy, newer teachers, particularly those entering the field through alternative certification routes, show less sensitivity to systemic inequalities. This finding suggests that training and experience significantly shape educators' ability to address the intersection of race, SES, and special education policy. These findings emphasize the importance of critically assessing how policies are implemented at the school level and their broader implications for justice in special education. Future research should further explore the long-term effects of these practices on student outcomes and parental engagement across different socioeconomic and racial contexts.