Department News
In May, all districts and public charter schools in Texas will begin the work of completing the 2021-2022 Special Education Self-Assessment. For LEAs who need support in Self-Assessment strategy # 22 (Family Engagement), TEA’s Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) houses numerous resources to support educators in fostering home-school communication and facilitating family engagement in school systems.
“Collaborating with Families of Students with Disabilities” from the IRIS Center is one of the training resources found on the SPEDTex website: This module, which addresses engaging with families as essential partners in the educational program of students with disabilities, could be helpful in considering professional development opportunities related to Self-Assessment strategy # 22.
The SDI Field User Guides are intended to be a bridge between existing student support plans and the instructional content available within the High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) found in TEA's Texas Home Learning suite of resources. Each section of the SDI Field User Guides provide ways to connect HQIM to student plans and leverage the tools found in the HQIM resource. This document provides multiple ways to approach and plan for the provision of SDI and presents multiple lenses through which users can examine the connections between HQIM tools and the components of SDI.
The following SDI Field User Guides are currently available:
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Amplify ELAR (K-5th)
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Amplify ELAR (6-8th)
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Odell Texas High School Literacy Program
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Great Minds PhD Science TEKS Edition
The following SDI Field User Guides are coming soon:
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Carnegie Learning Texas Math Solutions (6-12)
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Eureka Math TEKS Edition (K-5)
TEA's Accommodation Companion Guides have been revised and updated. These guides bridge existing student accommodations to assistive technology (AT) options that enable access and greater student progress within HQIM materials. These quick reference documents can be used by both general and special educators to identify support options that meet individual student support needs.
Did you know TEA's Texas Complex Access Network, TX CAN, has resources for supporting students who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or a concussion? Students who have sustained a TBI may require special education services dependent on the change in range of physical, cognitive, behavioral, and social needs. Discover how to better understand and support your student by learning more about TBIs, such as what they are, the different classifications, how to facilitate re-entry to school, accommodations, strategies, and more.
The SPEDTex Resource Locator is your gateway to special education resources. Whether you are looking for accommodations or transition information, or everything in between, the SPEDTex Resource Locator lets you tailor your search by topic, audience, language and type. Simply click the link below to begin your search.
Did you know that the Notice of Procedural Safeguards and the Parent's Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process are available in 24 languages? To help families further understand their legal rights under IDEA, a school is required to give them a copy of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards. The Parent's Guide is required by Texas Education Code §26.0081 and is designed to give families a better understanding of the special education process, including a family's procedural rights and responsibilities, so that they are able to fully participate in the decision-making process for their child.
TEA's Highly Mobile and At-Risk Student Programs Division has worked with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and the Supreme Court of Texas Permeant Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families (Children’s Commission) to release an updated version of the Foster Care and Student Success Resource Guide. This version includes new laws, resources, and key updates, plus two new chapters covering the Every Student Succeeds Act and Trauma-Informed Education. In addition, chapter 12 of this guide is dedicated to students eligible for or receiving special education services. TEA released a TAA announcing the guide on March 10, 2022. To review this updated guide or to sign-up for upcoming training related to the guide, visit TEA's Foster Care & Student Success Resource Guide webpage.
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Shout out to Susan Parker at ESC Region 4! She has provided coaching to 14 districts following training on TEA's TX CAN course, A Step Toward IEP Quality & Rigor.
Research indicates that training with a coaching component can lead to improved teacher practice and student outcomes, so kudos to Ms. Parker for her outstanding accomplishment!
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Region 1 has the largest number of TX CAN course completers in the state! Region 1 has held this distinction since December 2021. Nice job promoting and accessing TEA's FREE technical assistance coursework!
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