AUSTIN, Texas — On Wednesday, Austin ISD announced the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has provided the district with an alternative pathway in place of a conservatorship over special education.
The TEA proposed putting Austin ISD under a conservatorship in late March, citing “systemic failures” with students needing special education. The agency launched a special investigation into the district in late summer 2021 and found that Austin ISD had failed to properly evaluate students eligible for special education and provide them the proper resources. The report also indicated that the district did not make significant fixes despite being on an improvement plan.
“Today, the Texas Education Agency presented a proposal to Austin ISD regarding our special education program. In place of conservatorship, the TEA outlined an alternative pathway for our special education program, one that reflects our progress in addressing these issues and our continued communication and collaboration with the state,” Interim Superintendent Matias Segura said on Wednesday.
Segura said the pathway was an acknowledgement of the district’s progress toward implementing improvements to special education. He said Austin ISD’s leadership team and Board of Trustees will review the proposal carefully in the days ahead.
“Working to serve some of our most vulnerable students better is integral to our vision to be Austin’s home for inclusive learning, and we look forward to our continued dialogue with TEA leadership, our board, and our community to achieve our goals,” Segura said.
Austin ISD said it began implementing a plan to expedite evaluations for special education in January, including financial incentives for special education staff and inviting TEA’s collaboration in transforming the department.