- Uplift Education
- Special Education Services
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Dyslexia, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
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For information regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Dyslexia, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 please visithttps://tea.texas.gov/academics/special-student-populations/special-education/resources or click on the links below.
Delayed or Denied Evaluations & Compensatory Services
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Please click on the links below for information on on requesting compensatory services specific to a delay or a denial of a special education evaluation.
Special Education Parent Notification- SB 139
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In 2019, the 86th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 139 (SB 139), which requires Texas local education agencies (LEAs) to distribute the following notice, "Updates in Special Education," to all parents. Please contact your child's school for more information. Additional notices are available on the TEA website regarding:
- Dyslexia (Dyslexia in English | Dyslexia en Español)
- Section 504 (Section 504 in English | Section 504 en Español)
- Multi-Tiered System of Supports/MTSS (MTSS in English | MTSS en Español)
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act/IDEA (IDEA in English | IDEA en Español)
Special Education Services
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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) is the federal special education law. One of the main purposes of IDEA is to ensure that children with disabilities are provided with Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that is tailored to their individual needs.
Special education provides specially designed instruction to meet the individual needs of a student with a disability.
Eligibility
The TEA's Parent's Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process states:
There is a two-part test for determining whether your child is eligible for special education and related services: (1) your child must have a disability; and (2) as a result of the disability, your child must need special education and related services to benefit from education.
To meet the first part of the two-part test for eligibility, a child between the ages of 3 through 21, except as noted, must meet the criteria for one or more of the disability categories listed below:
- auditory impairment (from birth)
- autism
- deaf-blindness (from birth)
- emotional disturbance
- intellectual disability
- multiple disabilities
- noncategorical early childhood (ages three through five)
- orthopedic impairment
- other health impairment
- specific learning disability
- speech or language impairment
- traumatic brain injury
- visual impairment (including blindness from birth)
The ARD committee must make the eligibility determination within 30 calendar days from the date of completion of the initial evaluation report.
Individualized Education Planning
In order to help our students achieve their highest potential, an individualized education plan is developed for every student receiving services through the Special Education Department. This plan is developed after a comprehensive multi-disciplinary team, including parents, has reviewed all the needs of the child. The plan sets short-term goals, long-term goals, and determines instructional and related services, which will best facilitate the child’s progress in the least restrictive environment.
Additional Links
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SPEDTEX
The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) provides resources and interactive features for increasing family awareness of disabilities and special education processes, with the goal of improving partnerships between schools and families.
Questions
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If you need information about special education in Texas, you may call the Special Education Information Center at 1-855-SPEDTEX (1-855-773-3839).