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HEB ISD reports improved special education indicators, attributes some test drops to statewide assessment changes
Summary
District staff reported improvement to Results Driven Accountability indicators and said the district reached determination level 1 for special education; STAR score dips were linked to assessment rule changes and students moving from alternate assessments.
District staff presented the annual Results Driven Accountability (RDA) report during the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD board meeting on Jan. 13, reporting improvements in several special education measures and explaining recent test-score shifts.
The district reported it received a determination level 1 for special education indicators, meaning no corrective action is required. Staff told trustees the district saw improvement in discipline outcomes and in least-restrictive-environment (LRE) measures for children ages 3 to 5. Presenters said blended pre-K classrooms and increased collaboration between special education and general education teachers are contributing to those gains.
District staff also discussed standardized test results. Staff explained declines in STAR math and other measures for students with disabilities were partly due to state-level changes tightening eligibility for the STAR Alternate assessment, which forced some students to take different assessments this year. Staff said the district expects some scores to rebound as teachers and students adapt.
Staff additionally reported growth in special education enrollment and funding: special education student counts are up to 15.1% of the district's enrollment, representing a roughly 41% increase over nine years; federal funding tied to that population increased by about 12% over the same period, according to the presentation.
Board-level questions and staff responses A board member asked whether families were moving into HEB ISD because of special education services. Presenters said move-ins are occurring and that specialized programs (including FOSSY/FOSSE programs mentioned in the presentation) factor into some parent decisions to relocate to the district. Staff emphasized ongoing work to support students academically, including learning labs, PLCs for instructional staff, and targeted training for teacher aides.
Ending Staff told trustees the district will monitor the new assessments and the expanded RDA indicators the state plans to add next year and will return with data as those measures are implemented.
