Laredo ISD: Special education enrollment rises; board hears staffing, facility and funding strains

LAREDO, Texas — Laredo Independent School District special education director Raul Gomez told the Board of Trustees on Sept. 23 that the district's special education population has increased in recent weeks and that staffing, classroom space and federal funding timing are creating short-term strains.

"Special education is available because of a federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA," Gomez said in the Amber Urie Boardroom, explaining the basis for special education programs and the district's responsibility to serve eligible students and their families.

Gomez told trustees the district counted 2,650 special education students as of Sept. 16 and 2,673 as of Sept. 23, a net increase of 23 in one week. He said the district has 152 pending initial referrals and projected membership could reach roughly 2,745 by snapshot, though he cautioned the figure could change.

Why it matters

The board was briefed on how that growth is affecting classroom assignments, self-contained units and restrooms used for medical or hygiene needs, and on how IDEA Part B (commonly called 224) funding flows into the district. Gomez said the 224 grant for the 2025-26 grant period totaled about $4.6 million and that roughly 88.8% of the award'about $4.125 million'is used for salaries. Because much of the grant is spent on payroll early in the school year, Gomez said the district frequently relies on carryover funds in the spring to re-encumber those salary costs.

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