MAKING IMPROVEMENTS
LEVELS OF STATE INTERVENTION The Texas Education Agency is eyeing a conservatorship for Austin ISD, but the district is asking for a monitor instead.
Austin ISD officials have identified dozens of tasks, split into three goals, to improve special education services.
SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Goal 1: Establish a clear, inclusive vision with community support
Goal 2: Implement strong instruction and support systems
Goal 3: Meet state evaluation and compliance requirements
Example: Develop a plan to use during walkthroughs to assess if evidence-based practices are being used
Example : Improve system for evaluations and Individualized Education Program reports
Example : Increase family and community engagement and outreach to build trust
TEA MONITOR
Monitors report to the TEA on the activities of the board of trustees or the superintendent. Example: Round Rock ISD, 2021
17 32 45
9
1
Complete:
Complete:
Complete:
54
40
94
29 16
21
In progress:
In progress:
In progress:
Total tasks*
Total tasks*
Total tasks*
18
Not started:
Not started:
Not started:
*AS OF MARCH 15
TEA CONSERVATOR MANAGEMENT TEAM
numbers and quality of licensed specialists in school psychology, presents a maddingly intractable sit- uation that is the focus of the daily work of the department,” said Fran- ces Stetson of Stetson & Associates, the independent consulting firm hired by AISD to conduct a review of the special education department. How we got here Heather Merritt, a former AISD special education teacher at Travis Early College High School who still works in the district, has worked for AISD since 2004. “It has been difficult, and we rec- ognize that. We are ready and willing to help our students with disabilities, and we want to make sure they have the services they need,” Merritt said. At an April 3 board meeting, AISD attorney Pam Kaminsky said there were several factors that contrib- uted to the backlog of evaluations for special education, including an evaluator shortage and an increase in referral rates for the department. Kaminsky said Austin was not alone in struggling to conduct evalu- ations during the pandemic.
As of press time May 24, AISD interim Superintendent Matias Segura and board President Arati Singh did not return requests for comment. The plan Members of a labor union for AISD employees, Education Austin, spoke out against the TEA’s plan at a press conference April 3. “What we need from the state is money—money to fill the positions to support our kids in this district,” Education Austin President Ken Zari- fis said. Zarifis said he and his colleagues realize AISD has issues with its special education services, but he believes the school board and Segura will work with other local groups to solve them. The TEA report laid out several recommendations beyond the con- servatorship for improvements to the special education department. The report states AISD must acquire a new external audit—at the expense of the district—to address the issues in the special education department. The district must also implement
training for its staff and board to address the deficiencies in the spe- cial education department. What’s next On April 17, the district requested an informal review by the TEA to determine if a monitor would be more appropriate than a conservator man- agement team, AISD Media Relations Specialist Elizabeth Lippincott said. “The TEA does not have a set time period to respond, but we hope it is soon,” Lippincott said. A monitor would oversee the district’s progress on its backlog, but would not have binding deci- sion-making power. If the TEA disagrees with the request for a monitor, the conserva- tor will be put in place. The district can make a final appeal to the state office of administrative hearings, which works to resolve disputes between Texas agencies and other entities. This office would make the final decision. Regardless, Jake Kobersky, the director of media relations with the TEA, said agency officials look for- ward to working with the district to
A conservator oversees the district and has decision-making power. Board and interim superintendent stay in place. Example: Current proposal in AISD
TEA TAKEOVER
A state-appointed management team takes over at the district, removing the board. Example: Houston ISD, 2023
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
appropriately serve all students in need of special education services. “This issue started three boards and four superintendents ago. … It will take a lot of hard work, and sometimes that takes time,” Singh said in a board meeting April 3. “We want our students to meet their full potential in a loving way that lifts them up, and we are all 100% devoted to that.”
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NORTH - NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION • JUNE 2023
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