Texas Project First

Texas Parent to Parent

ESC 11 – Special Education Resources for Parents

ESC 20 – Special Education Parent Resources

TSLAT – Autism Resources

Dyslexia is a neurological disorder affecting how the brain processes and interprets information. It is the most common reading disorder. Students with dyslexia can struggle with reading, writing, and spelling, but they can also succeed in school and life. At McDade ISD, students who have been i dentified as having dyslexia, or a related disorder, receive specialized instruction in accordance with their individualized plan.

This federal legislation was originally authorized in 1987 and most recently re-authorized in December 2015 by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This legislation ensures children and youth experiencing homelessness have immediate and equal access to public education.

All Texas public schools, charter schools, and education service centers,collectively known as local education agencies (LEAs), must follow federal rules concerning the education of homelesss students. Texas Education code (TEC) §§ 25.001, 25.002, and 29.153 address educational rights for homeless students.

• Federal Register – National Archives

• National Center for Homeless Education

• Department of Education – Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness

• Department of Education Non-Regulatory Guidance (Updated August 2018)

• TEA Homeless Children & Youth Program

• Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth

Families in Transition – Community Flyer

McKinney-Vento Eligibility Flowchart

School Selection Fact Sheet

School Selection Provisions from the McKinney-Vento Act and the Texas Education Code

Checklist for McKinney-Vento School Selection Considerations: School of Origin or Local Attendance Zone?

Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth

Foster Care & Student Success, housed in Texas Education Agency’s Division of Federal and State Education Policy maintains resources and information to advance the eduction of students impacted by foster care. The resources and materials provide guidance related to the unique circumstances surrounding students who are in the foster care system and attend public schools. In Texas, nearly 16,000 school-aged students are in foster care at any given time.

The Foster Care & Student Success Web content is divided into the following areas:

• School District Liaisons

• Laws and Guidance

• State Efforts

• Collaboration

• Child Protective Services

• Information & Resources

Foster Care & Student Success Resource Guide

TEA developed a premier resource to support Texas schools in addressing the education of students in Foster care: Texas Foster Care & Student Success Resource Guide (PDF) . This guide is the product of collaboration with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the Supreme Court of Texas, and the Permanent Judicial Commissiion for Children, Youth and Families (Children’s Commission). This e-guide and training manual contains a variety of key researched-based topics and calls attention to important matters related to the education of students in foster care. The guide promotes best practices and contains numerous tips, tools, resources, and links to more information.

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandate at 34 CFR §300.600, 34 CFR §300.600, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) must primarily focus its monitoring activities on improving educational results and functional outcomes for all children with disabilities and on ensuring that public agencies meet IDEA Part B program requirements. TEA must focus on those IDEA requirements most closely related to improving educational results for children with disabilities. In doing so, TEA must use the quantifiable and qualitative indicators necessary to adequately measure performance in priority areas, including the provision of a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment and child find.

TEA is committed to ensuring that every local education agency (LEA) in the state meets federal and state statutory requirements. As part of TEA’s corrective action response to requirements issued by the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Essential Corrective Action 2.a. requires TEA to ensure that all LEAs distribute information to every enrolled student’s family regarding IDEA’s child find and FAPE requirements to inform them of their rights under IDEA and to provide the contact information to request an initial evaluation.

Texas Education Code (TEC) §26.0081(c) requires TEA to produce and provide LEAs a written explanation of the options and requirements for providing assistance to students who have learning difficulties or who need or may need special education. LEAs must provide the explanation each year to a parent of each student in the district by including the explanation in the student handbook or by another means.

Transition & Employment Designee (TED): Allison Mouser :: allison.mouser@mcdadeisd.net :: (512) 273-2522 EXT 1301

Designado de transición y empleo (TED): Allison Mouser :: allison.mouser@mcdadeisd.net :: (512) 273-2522 EXT 1301

Click here to access Allison Mouser’s Website (Director of Special Programs)