Board approves $3.675 million IDEA-B grant plan to fund 58 special‑education FTEs, stipends and assistive technology

The Gadsden Independent School District board voted to approve an IDEA Part B grant application allocating $3,675,642 to special education programs and services for the coming year.

Secretary Claudia Rodriguez presented the proposal to the board, saying the application delineates spending for 58 full-time-equivalent positions including special education teachers, instructional assistants, instructional specialists, instructional coaches, early childhood intervention and disability specialists, and data-entry clerks. The application also lists funds for supplies and software for special education classrooms, assistive and augmentative alternative communication (AAC) devices, motor development equipment, stipends for student job‑readiness programs, payments to teachers providing compensatory services for owed instructional minutes, staff development and limited cell phones for related-service providers, Rodriguez said. “It has been conditionally approved by the PED,” she added.

Board members asked clarifying questions about items in the application. When asked what “cell phones for related service providers” meant, Rodriguez said the district issues district phones so social workers and others can be reached by families without using personal phones. On compensatory-pay for teachers, Rodriguez described typical rates for out-of-schedule instructional time: she cited an approximate district practice of paid compensatory work for teachers at roughly $35–$40 per hour when working directly with students; she distinguished staff-development pay at approximately $30–$35 per hour.

On contracting versus hiring, Rodriguez told the board the district has moved many previously contracted speech, occupational therapy and related services into district FTEs in recent years. However, she said the grant budget still includes funds for contracted services to cover absences, medical leaves and other gaps so students continue to receive required services.

During the meeting’s public comment period, parent Mayra Nunez raised concerns about special-education services districtwide, saying some students lacked timely intervention and that parents sometimes feel they must “fight the school district” to get services. The board president said the comment would be passed to Superintendent Dempsey for follow-up.

The board approved the IDEA-B application by voice vote. District staff indicated some of the approved dollars represent carryover and that the PED has requested supporting documentation (for example, memos and award letters) for state review before final posting.