Wichita Falls ISD special programs presentation details growth in special education, bilingual and student supports

Miss Duong, a Wichita Falls Independent School District staff member, delivered a data-driven overview of the district’s special programs to the Wichita Falls ISD Board of Trustees, describing increases in special-education enrollment, program reorganizations and a range of student supports.

The presentation summarized eight programs grouped under the district’s special programs umbrella — including emergent bilingual/bilingual and ESL services, the Parent As Teachers (PACT) program, gifted and talented services, homeless and foster care supports under McKinney-Vento, 504 accommodations, and the district’s special-education (Sped) programs — and outlined recent staffing, program and outcome data.

Why it matters: District staff said special-education enrollment and related needs have risen faster than the state average and that supporting those students requires additional staffing, training and funding. The presenter asked the board and the community to press legislators for increased special-education funding during the current Texas legislative session.

The presentation highlighted measurable program changes and operational details. Duong said WFISD’s combined bilingual/ESL population is about 13% of students versus a state average of 24.5%, and noted a 5.91% increase in that population since the 2022–23 school…