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Autism in Texas

You are not alone. Here is what is true about the child population and public systems in Texas — and where to start with early intervention, school, and coverage.

The short answer for Texas

  • You are not alone in Texas: Census counts 7,560,983 children ages 0–17 (Vintage 2023).
  • IDEA Part B (SY 2022–23): 112,617 children ages 3–21 reported under the Autism disability category in special education (OSEP Section 618) — a served count, not a full population census.
  • Under 3: Early Childhood Intervention (ECI). School age: written evaluation request to the district; statewide info via Texas Education Agency — Special Education.
  • Coverage: Texas Medicaid. Rights: Disability Rights Texas.
  • Published access checklist: 71% (mixed published access path). City numbers only appear later with true local sources.

You are not alone in Texas

Families across Texas are navigating evaluation, school plans, and services. The figures below are from primary public sources — Census population and IDEA special-education child counts — not invented totals.

  • 7,560,983 children ages 0–17 live in Texas (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 civilian estimates). You share this state with a large generation of families raising kids.
  • In school year 2022–23, Texas reported 112,617 children ages 3–21 receiving special education under the Autism disability category (U.S. Department of Education, IDEA Section 618). That is a real administrative count of children served under that category — still not every autistic child in the state, but clear proof many families are on a related path.
  • Public systems exist because this is not rare here: Early Childhood Intervention (ECI), school special education, Texas Medicaid, and Disability Rights Texas.

Key numbers for autism families in Texas

Children ages 0–17 in Texas7,560,983Families share this state with a large generation of kidsU.S. Census · Vintage 2023Source [1]
In special education under “Autism” (ages 3–21)112,617Served under IDEA Part B Autism category — not every autistic childIDEA §618 Part B · SY 2022-23Source [2]
Share of special education (Part B)16%Of all Part B disabilities ages 3–21 in the same reportIDEA §618 Part B · SY 2022-23Source [2]
How common identification is (national)1 in 31CDC monitoring sites · context only, not a Texas censusCDC ADDM · 2022Source [3]
In early intervention (birth–2, all reasons)32,064Part C total served — not autism-onlyIDEA §618 Part C · SY 2022–23Source [10]

Of the IDEA Autism total: 11,697 ages 3–5 and 100,920 school age 5–21.Source [2]

Where to start in Texas

Pick the path that matches your child. Each bullet is one clear action.

  1. If your child is under 3

    Call early intervention

    • WhoEarly Childhood Intervention (ECI)
    • Do thisAsk for a developmental evaluation
    • Good to knowYou usually do not need a private autism diagnosis first
    • Phone877-787-8999
    Start a referralProgram homepage
    Source [5]

  2. If your child is 3 or older

    Ask the school for an evaluation

    • WhoYour local school district
    • Do thisSend a written request for a special education evaluation
    • SaveDate the letter and keep a copy
    • Statewide infoTexas Education Agency
    Open special education infoHow IEPs work
    Source [6]

  3. For health coverage

    Check Medicaid

    • WhoTexas Medicaid
    • Ask aboutChildren’s coverage
    • Also askEPSDT (screening and treatment for kids on Medicaid)
    • Also askAny developmental disability or HCBS waivers
    • RememberThe agency decides eligibility — not this site
    • ExpansionNo in this catalog[9]— re-check before you rely on it
    Open Medicaid site
    Source [7]

  4. If you are stuck or ignored

    Get free disability rights help

    • WhoDisability Rights Texas
    • WhenSchool or an agency will not act
    • Do thisContact them and put your concerns in writing
    • AlsoKeep copies of emails, letters, and meeting notes
    Contact rights helpIf you disagree with the school
    Source [8]

Programs and rights in Texas

Extra official links from the depth research pass. Only fields with a published source are shown. (Full research template.)

Early intervention

Special education rights

Medicaid, DD services, and waivers

Private insurance mandate

  • Texas Insurance Code § 1355.015 requires certain health benefit plans to provide coverage related to autism spectrum disorder for eligible enrollees, with statutory limits and exceptions (including age/diagnosis timing rules in statute). Confirm current text and whether the plan is fully insured under Texas law.[11]
  • Read statute / official source

Other official help lines

What to do next

If your child is under 3

  1. Refer to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) using the official intake information on this page (source: ECTA Part C directory).
  2. You can usually refer without waiting for a private autism diagnosis.
  3. Ask about evaluation timelines and the written IFSP process.

If your child is preschool- or school-age

  1. Send a written request for a special education evaluation to your school district (keep a copy and note the date).
  2. Use statewide special education information from Texas Education Agency — Special Education for parent rights and procedural safeguards.
  3. Ask whether the team is considering IEP or 504 supports and request Prior Written Notice of decisions.

Health coverage and rights

  1. Start with Texas Medicaid for public coverage pathways; ask about EPSDT and any DD or HCBS waivers.
  2. If access or rights are blocked, contact Disability Rights Texas.
  3. Document everything in writing.

At ages 0–4

toddlers and preschoolers
  • Refer to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) as soon as you have developmental concerns — do not wait for a private diagnosis.
  • Ask your pediatrician for developmental screening and a parallel EI referral the same week.
  • If your child is approaching age 3, ask EI about the transition to school-based services (Part B).

Changes with the age control at the top of the page.

At ages 5–8

5 to 8 year olds
  • Put a special education evaluation request in writing to the school principal or special education director.
  • Use the state special education page for parent rights materials: https://tea.texas.gov/academics/special-student-populations/special-education
  • Ask whether a 504 plan or IEP is under consideration and request Prior Written Notice of decisions.

Changes with the age control at the top of the page.

At ages 9–12

9 to 12 year olds
  • Review the IEP or 504 annually; ask for data on progress, not only compliance with minutes.
  • If the district delays evaluation or services, use state complaint and mediation options via Texas Education Agency guidance and Disability Rights Texas.
  • Document home and school differences (sleep, shutdowns, learning) in a short written summary for the team.

Changes with the age control at the top of the page.

At ages 13–16

teenagers
  • Confirm transition planning is in the IEP (federally required by age 16; many states start earlier).
  • Ask Texas Medicaid about adult-serving waivers or long-term supports planning well before age 18.
  • Involve your teenager in meetings; Disability Rights Texas can help if rights or access are blocked.

Changes with the age control at the top of the page.

Official autism-related contacts in Texas

Early intervention under 3 (Early Childhood Intervention (ECI))

Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)[5]
Texas Health and Human Services[4]

Also see: Early intervention guide

School and special education

Start with your local school district (written evaluation request). Statewide:

IEP or 504 · IEP disputes

Medicaid

Ask about EPSDT and any developmental disability or HCBS waivers.

Disability rights help

Cities in Texas

Metro guides with local intake contacts, district links, and evaluation pathways:

Autism in Arlington →This guide gathers sourced local facts for Arlington families — the Tarrant County early intervention contact, district Child Find offices, and the Medicaid waiver intake point.3 local resources listedAutism in Austin →Local entry points for Austin and Travis County families: early intervention referral, district Child Find contacts, hospital evaluation pathways, and disability waiver interest lists — every fact sourced.3 local resources listedAutism in Corpus Christi →Built for Corpus Christi and Nueces County families: a sourced list of the disability-waiver intake point, district Child Find offices, and where to call when you don't know where to start.3 local resources listedAutism in Dallas →Sourced specifically for Dallas and Dallas County: where to call for early intervention, which district office handles a Child Find request, a hospital diagnostic pathway, and how the waiver interest lists work.15 local resources listedAutism in El Paso →Everything here is sourced for El Paso and El Paso County: the disability-waiver intake point, district Child Find offices, and a children's-hospital therapy pathway.3 local resources listedAutism in Fort Worth →A sourced starting point for Fort Worth and Tarrant County families — early intervention referral, school district Child Find contacts, and how the Medicaid waiver interest lists work.3 local resources listedAutism in Houston →Local entry points for Houston and Harris County families: early intervention referral, district Child Find contacts, hospital evaluation pathways, and disability waiver interest lists — every fact sourced.16 local resources listedAutism in Lubbock →A sourced guide for Lubbock and Lubbock County families covering the disability-waiver intake point, district Child Find contacts, and where the biggest districts stand on evaluation.3 local resources listedAutism in Plano →For Plano and Collin County: sourced contacts for early intervention referral, district Child Find offices, and Texas's disability waiver interest lists.3 local resources listedAutism in San Antonio →For San Antonio and Bexar County families, this guide sources the early-intervention phone number, district Child Find offices, and the Medicaid waiver intake point in one place.3 local resources listed

Common questions about autism supports in Texas

References

  1. [1]U.S. Census Bureau. Vintage 2023 civilian population by single year of age (SC-EST2023-AGESEX-CIV), ages 0–17 summed for Texas. As of 2023-07-01. Open source
  2. [2]U.S. Department of Education (IDEA §618). Part B Child Count and Educational Environments, school year 2022-23. Children ages 3–21 reported under the Autism disability category (early childhood + school-age totals). This is a count of children served under that category — not a full census of all autistic children. Open source
  3. [3]CDC ADDM Network. Surveillance year 2022: overall ASD prevalence among 8-year-olds across 16 ADDM Network monitoring sites (not every US community) was 32.2 per 1,000 (about 1 in 31). National monitoring-site context only — not a statewide headcount for Texas. Open source
  4. [4]ECTA Center · Part C directory. Part C state systems and coordinators directory (used for Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program and referral fields). Confirm current details on the state site. Open source
  5. [5]Early Childhood Intervention (ECI). Texas Health and Human Services. Official early intervention program site for Texas. Open source
  6. [6]Texas Education Agency — Special Education. Statewide special education information for Texas. Day-to-day IEPs start with the local school district. Open source
  7. [7]Texas Medicaid. Public Medicaid / health coverage entry point listed for Texas. Eligibility is decided by the agency. Open source
  8. [8]Disability Rights Texas. Protection & Advocacy organization linked for Texas. Open source
  9. [9]Kaiser Family Foundation. Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions. Catalog coding for Texas: not expanded. Re-check the live tracker before citing. Open source
  10. [10]U.S. Department of Education (IDEA §618 Part C). Total infants and toddlers birth through age 2 receiving Part C early intervention (all eligibility reasons — not autism-only). OSEP Section 618. Open source
  11. [11]State insurance statute / DOI. Texas Insurance Code § 1355.015 requires certain health benefit plans to provide coverage related to autism spectrum disorder for eligible enrollees, with statutory limits and exceptions (including age/diagnosis timing rules in statute). Confirm current text and whether the plan is fully insured under Texas law. Open source

Last checked 2026-08-03. If a link has moved, use the agency’s current homepage.

Last checked 2026-08-03. Programmes and numbers change — always confirm with the agency and your clinician.